Finding a Place to Move Forward
by romanceaddict3320
Summary: hogwarts is letting 7th years back for another year. but it wont be anything like any year before. school isn't the only thing that has changed and without a war to control them can people find their own way and move forward? dramione ginnyharry maybemore
1. Permission

Hey eveybody! it's been a while since i put anything up. I've never written a Harry Potter fanfiction for this site and i'm pretty rusty so sorry if it didn't turn out that great. this is going to be a dramione fanfiction later on but i need to do the setting first. i should be able to put the first couple of chapters up soon so don't lose hope. the first three will be up by tomorrow night... most likely. :) please review! i really appreciate it and i also appreciate helpful critisism. so if you have anything to say to help my writing please tell me thank you and enjoy! :)

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Hermione Granger knocked sharply on the door to the headmistress's office at the top of the moving staircase hidden behind the gargoyle in Hogwarts. When no response could be heard from inside she slowly pushed the door open to reveal a snoring Professor McGonagall stretched out at an awkward angle in the large chair behind her desk with a smiling Professor Dumbledore in the large portrait behind her.

"Good-afternoon, Ms. Granger," Professor Dumbledore said kindly. Hermione entered the room hesitantly, taking in everything. It was so strange to be in the office and not see the beautiful phoenix that had once lived in the office with professor Dumledore.

Hermione smiled at the old Headmaster, "Good-afternoon, Professor. May I wake her up? It is very important." Hermione asked, gesturing at Professor McGonagall hopefully.

"Certainly, Ms. Granger," the portrait of Dumbledore replied pleasantly.

Hermione walked around the desk and hesitantly reached out and touched the Headmistress's shoulder. With a start Professor McGonagall awoke and fell from her chair onto the ground. Hermione jumped back in surprise and Dumbledore chuckled softly.

She shook her head quickly to clear it, leaving her glasses at an odd angle on the tip of her nose. Seemingly oblivious to Hermione, she patted at her robes as if wiping away invisible dust.

"Professor," Hermione queried gently.

The teacher's head snapped in Hermione's direction, the glasses still tilted to the side.

Her eyes widened as she took in Hermione. She hadn't seen the girl since she turned eighteen a few months ago. She straightened her glasses and tried to stand in the most dignified manner as possible, but failed when part of her robe became stuck under one of the legs on the chair and she fell to the floor again.

With a great deal of muttered curse words that left Hermione gaping open mouthed at the teacher, she finally pulled herself free and straightened up.

"What is it, Ms. Granger," McGonagall said in a tired tone as she slowly sat back down in the chair and gestured at the one across the desk for Hermione to sit.

"Well you see Professor. I was at the Weasley's house for dinner about a week ago for a special dinner to celebrate Mr. Weasley's promotion when Mrs. Weasley asked if I had gotten a job yet. You see I hadn't thought much about it. I was still in a daze because of everything that happened, with the defeat of Voldemort and all. It really made me think though. We never finished our last year a Hogwarts. We never even took our N.E.W.T.s! I don't know what we might have learned during that year but our N. E. W. T.s are critical to the rest of our lives! Harry, Ron and I weren't even here to try and Neville told me that all the students got to go home and celebrate the end of the war before the school year was finished! They never took their N.E.W.T.s either. I talked to some of our friends and they told me that we needed a complete 7th year if we ever wanted to get a proper job like working at the ministry or becoming a teacher." Hermione said, worry written all over her face. She took a deep breath about to dive back into the story but Professor McGonagall cut her off.

"Ms. Granger, I'm sure that with your record and all that you and your friends have done that you will be able to get perfectly respectable jobs working in the Ministry or where ever you would like. But that aside, I have no idea why you would come to me with your troubles. I don't know what I would be able to do to help," Professor McGonagall said anxiously. She knew exactly what Hermione had in mind and she didn't like it one bit.

"But your wrong Professor! I went to the Ministry and asked if I could have some transcripts so that I could look over which job I might want and they said no! I went to the Minister, Kinsley Shakelbolt, and he agreed with them. The same thing happened to Harry and Ron. We aren't even allowed to move on to our next classes which would teach us what we would need to know for our chosen careers. This is where you come in Professor," Hermione said with a happy smile, while inwardly McGonagall groaned. "Harry and I have decided that we want to come back to Hogwarts for our last year! With a little bit of prodding Ron agreed too. Would that be okay Professor?" Hermione said expectantly.

"Just the … three of you," the Headmistress asked hesitantly, Not willing to let go of her last hope so soon.

Hermione blushed and looked at her feet. "No professor. We talked to our friends who had been here for last year and they said that they hadn't learned much because of all the Deatheaters. They want to come back too along with all of the people who weren't purebloods and weren't able to come back last year. But also, we couldn't contact everyone from our year and we were hoping that… you could send out a letter to them all, inviting them back… for another year," she said softly, seeing they look on the Headmistress's face.

Professor McGonagall nearly fainted.

"All… of you? Back … Here…" the Headmistress stuttered.

'No chance were they all getting back in this castle. Not while she was in charge, they wouldn't be here. Hell no! She would rather marry a blast-ended-scruit!'

She opened her mouth to tell Hermione so but no sound came out. Instead a genial voice from behind her answered.

"That's a wonderful idea Ms. Granger! Of course they can all come back we shall start working on it immediately and we look forward to seeing you all back next year," the portrait of Dumbledore said, blue eyes twinkling.

"Thank-you very much Professor," Hermione said happily. She stood up quickly and ran out of the room before McGonagall could contradict him.

Professor McGonagall sat open mouth and unmoving before slowly turning her head to look at Dumbledore.

"What, in Merlin's name, did you just do," the Headmistress finally managed.

He merely smiled at her and yawned slightly. He closed his eyes and drifted off into his sleep looking very pleased with himself and with no doubt in his mind that the next year was going to be an interesting one.

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ok so that's the first chapter. hope u liked it. again please review. i know that it's short but it's an introduction chapter. i'll try to put the next chapter up soon thankx! :)


	2. Supplies

Here is the next chapter. i'll try to put the one after this up as soon as i can. it's coming along ok so far. please review and tell me what you think. creavtive critisism is always appreciated. :) enjoy

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Hermione raced down the moving staircase, down the flights of stairs and out the front door of Hogwarts into the warm summer air. She ran across the grounds towards the two teenage boys sprawled on the grass with their brooms beside them.

"Get up, you lot," Hermione said teasingly, "Professor McGonagall really didn't take it that badly. I don't see why you made such a fuss about coming in with me."

Harry and Ron's eyes opened slowly at the sound of Hermione's voice and Harry yawned loudly.

"It's simple really. You're the only person that can talk to McGonagall. If we went in there she'd curse our butts back out here the second she saw my red hair. Do you honestly think she wants all of our trouble back I there. Imagine all of the stuff we did before we were of age. We got in crazy trouble. I suppose she expects it to be ten times worse," Ron answered, smiling up at Hermione.

"Why am I the only one that can talk to her," Hermione asked scathingly.

"That's simple too. Your mouth never stops moving when you get started. She won't have time to object to you," Ron said cheekily.

Hermione glared at him for a second before deciding it wasn't worth it.

"Honestly, I don't see why Harry had to come. If you had told me earlier that neither of you were coming in there with me, he could have just stayed at the Burrow," Hermione said, frustrated.

"I need someone to talk to, don't I? Seeing as I had to wait forever and a year for you to come back before we could all leave," Ron said, standing up and grabbing his broom.

"Speaking of Harry," Hermione said, gesturing to him on the ground, slowly falling back into sleep's clutches.

"Oi, Mate! Wake up," Ron shouted while pulling out his wand and blasting the ground just to the left of Harry's head.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," Harry shouted as, in a panic, he scrambled up into a standing position.

He turned to glare at Ron. "What the bloody hell was that about," he asked angrily.

Ron just shrugged and mounted his broom, leaving room for Hermione behind him. She got on hesitantly and wrapped her arms tightly around her boyfriend's waist.

When Ron was sure that Hernione was settled he kicked off the ground and into the air, Harry close behind him.

They flew quickly back towards the Burrow and landed lightly in their back yard. Dismounting easily Harry and Ron carried their brooms inside, followed by an ecstatic Hermione.

"We get to go back you guys! We can learn more! I wonder if they have any new books in the library. What do you think Mrs. Weasley," asked Hermione as she sat down lightly on one of the stools by the kitchen counter.

"I'm sure they do, Hermione. I guess this means that you all get to go back," Mrs. Weasly said happily. This was confirmed by the frantic nodding of Hermione's head and the huge smile on her face.

"Well, we must celebrate then! I'll invite everybody. We can have a nice big dinner party to celebrate you lot going back. I'm sure Ginny will be thrilled. You'll be in the same classes as her," Mrs. Weasley said eagerly, already making a list in her head of all the things they would need and all of the people to invite, completely oblivious to the blush covering Harry's face.

He had gotten back together with Ginny a month ago and they were practically inseparable.

It was at that moment that an excited Ginny came running down the stairs and flung herself at Harry.

"I heard on my way down the stairs! I'm so glad that you're coming back! But while you were gone I was thinking. Do you think that Professor McGonagall will invite the Slytherians back? I wasn't sure," said Ginny curiously.

"I think she will. Everybody deserves a second chance. You saw how the Malfoys acted near the end. They didn't care if Voldemort was defeated, they just wanted to keep their family together," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Yah and Narsissa told Voldemort that I was dead when she knew I wasn't so that she could save their son," Harry said, turning his head to look out the window.

"Blimey! You never told us that," Ron said in shock.

"I'm not sure how McGonagall will play her cards, but I think she will be fair and invite back those students who had no control over what was going on. I think young Mr. Malfoy will be included in that bunch. I am positive that you will not be disappointed with her decision, whatever it may be. I'm sure she's nervous to have you lot back though," Molly Weasley said wisely.

Harry nodded slowly and looked down at Ginny who was wrapped in his arms.

"Hard to believe it's all over," He said quietly. Ginny just smiled at him.

"Oh my! You do know what this means though, and so close to the start of school," Molly said as she began to bustle around the kitchen until she found a calendar.

"We most go to Diagon Alley! Ginny and I already went though! I have no more free time until a week after school has started either. I suppose Mr. Weasley could take you sometime but…" Mrs. Weasley said worriedly.

"Oh mum, we'll be fine. Were of age now," Ron said excitedly.

"Ron's right Mrs. Weasley. We can go on our own, the sooner the better," Hermione said with a reassuring smile in Mrs. Weasley's direction.

"We can go tomorrow. Get it right out of the way. School starts in three weeks," Harry said slowly, the realization finally dawning on him. He was going back to school in three weeks.

"Bloody Hell," Ron said softly, summing up Harry's feelings in two words.

"Ron! Watch your language young man. You may be of age but that doesn't mean you can go around saying things like that," Mrs. Weasley said, bristling in anger.

"Right, well go tomorrow," Hermione said quickly before Mrs. Weasley could think of a punishment for her son.

"Mum, can I go with them please? I'm almost of age now too," Ginny said hopefully, while giving Mrs. Weasley puppy dog eyes.

It was a matter of seconds before Molly caved.

"Alright fine, you can go. But that doesn't mean I like it and you have to be by them all the time. No wandering off," Mrs. Weasley said in her last attempt at a stern mother.

"Oh, I don't think that will be a problem," Ginny said with a smirk as she twined her fingers with Harry's.

Ron gaped and looked like he was about to protest to Ginny coming with them after all when Hermione shook her head slightly and he quieted.

Mrs. Weasley pretended not to notice and said, "Now you lot go up to your rooms and look over Ginny's supplies list. It'll tell you what you need for whatever classes you decide to take,"

"Thanks," Hermione said and proceeded to drag Harry, Ron, and Ginny up the stairs.

Ginny pulled free of Hermione and ran into her room, which she was sharing with Hermione, to grab the supplies list. Which she pocketed and followed the trio out into Harry and Ron's room. Normally it wouldn't be necessary for them to share a room anymore but they had guests and since Teddy and his grandparents who were taking care of him were staying there, they were a little pressed for space.

Ginny plopped down next to Harry on his bed across from Ron's bed, occupied by Hermione and Ron, and pulled the list out of her jeans pocket. She passed it to Harry who looked at it for a couple of seconds as if it might explode before passing it to Ron who made a point of not looking at it at all and handed it back to Harry. Harry handed it back to Ron who tried to touch it as little as possible, as if it burned him while still refusing to look at it. Ron passed it back to Harry who threw it at Ron so it bounced off his head.

"Open it! It's all yours," Harry said anxiously.

"No. You do it. I insist," Ron said throwing it back.

Harry tried to avoid catching it at all by throwing his hands up in defense, causing the letter to fall to the ground a few feet away from both of them. Ron and Harry exchanged relieved looks.

"Honestly! I don't know what's wrong with you two. First at Hogwarts now this," Hermione said angrily as she got off Ron's bed to pick up the letter. Once she had it she sat back down beside him and opened it up.

"Don't read it yet, Mione," Harry said softly as Hermione opened her mouth to start listing the things they would need.

"Why ever not," Hermione snapped, frustrated, "you lot had better tell me what's going on. I'm sick of your behavior."

"Guess we deserve that. We just aren't sure yet Mione. We don't know how to handle going back. We really are going back to Hogwarts. It's just a lot to handle at one time. So much has changed. We don't know what to expect," Ron said looking at his hands.

Harry looked at her sadly and said, "I'm sorry Hermione. I know it isn't what you want to hear right now but it's the truth. Have you even thought about everything that has changed? We aren't going back to the same old Hogwarts as always. The world crashed around everybody's heads. It's completely different and we can't just ignore it while people try to rebuild their lives. We need to fix ours too. We need a purpose. It isn't about Voldemort anymore."

Hermione replied softly, "I know that's why it's so important that we go back. The entire wizarding world is changing and we need to find our place in it. We need to find a way to start again."

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hope you liked it. i'll try to update quickly so please review. :)


	3. Diagon Alley

hey! this is the fastest i'vew ever updated for these past 3 chapters. i'm not sure how long i can keep this up but probably a bit longer. please review. :( i don't hav a single review yet :(

Disclaimer: sorry i didn't hav one of these on my last 2 chapters. it is a terrible awful crime, i know ;) I do not own harry potter. i know it was a suprise to me 2.

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Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny all Apparated into The Leaky Cauldron in a back room so that nobody would see them and Hermione preceded to tap one of the bricks three times to open the gateway into Diagon Alley.

They all stepped through the hole and surveyed the scene before them with apprehension. The streets were packed with people and the walls and windows where there had once been posters warning people about you-know-who were now covered with pictures of Harry, Ron, Hermione and many of their friends including Luna, Ginny, Neville and others. The pictures moved and cast spells at things out of the camera's view while banners hung everywhere, swaying in the wind and proclaiming Voldemort's death.

"It's Harry! It's Harry Potter," Shouted a little boy from the crowed, wearing a red shirt with Harry's face on it. Harry froze as the entire street turned to look at him.

"Just stay calm. They only want your autograph… and to thank you… and for you to help them with all of their problems," Ginny said slowly, trying not to move her lips.

"No sudden moves," Ron whispered, eyeing the crowd as if they might pounce at any second which, to his credit, they looked about to do.

"Run," Hermione whispered softly, in a panic. They ran. Hermione dashed towards Eeylops Owl Emporium while Ron ran to Ollivander's wand store and Harry and Ginny raced towards the Apothecary.

Most of the crowd followed Harry and Ginny but others who saw Ron and Hermione dash off alone chased after them.

Hermione, not in the mood for any of the attention, raced into the Emporium and ran into one of the private owl food store rooms, shutting the door behind her and sinking to the ground with her eyes closed.

She slowly stood up and peeked out the peep hole on the door into the store. The small group of people that had been following her were grumbling as they left. Hermione waited five second after the last one left her line of vision before slowly pushing the door open and stepping out. She let out a relieved sigh. They were gone.

"Granger," said a surprised voice from beside her.

She wiped around pulling out her wand just incase to stare wide-eyed up at Draco Malfoy. He had grown tall since she last saw him.

"Malfoy," she said, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"Well this isn't exactly private property. If you must know I'm here for some special treats for my eagle owl. Why are you here," he asked emotionlessly\y

Hermione stared at him before speaking, "Oh… I'm uh… just…"

"Running from all of your adoring fans," Malfoy drawled with a smirk, looking out the window as more of the crowd from earlier passed by the window. "Figures. After everything I wouldn't expect anything less."

At first Hermione bristled but calmed immediately when she saw that he wasn't insulting her, merely telling her what he thought, which in itself was strange.

She gaped at him and an awkward silence followed for a moment until Hermione was able to pull herself together, at least a little bit.

"Are you going back? To Hogwarts I mean," Hermione asked for lack of something better to say as she stared out the window ready to duck down behind the nearby shelves if any of the crowd looked her way.

"For what," Draco asked, honestly confused.

"For another year. Professor McGonagall is inviting all 7th year students back to Hogwarts so that we can learn all of the stuff we missed last year and take our N.E.W.T.s," Hermione said matter-a-factly, forgetting for a second who she was talking to.

"Probably not everybody," Malfoy said bitterly, looking away from her.

"I'm not sure but you ought to know either way," Hermione said honestly.

With that she turned on her heel and walked out of the store. They had made copies of the list with the supplies for all of them back at the Burrow incase they needed to go and get different things at different times and Hermione decided now would be the perfect time to do her shopping while all the shoppers were looking for Harry.

She could stop at the Apothecary and get most of the things she needed there and then get the books and quills she needed from Flourish and Blotts.

.

She walked carefully down the street, trying to keep a low profile. She needed to do this quickly and the others did to. She had hoped that they could get this done without causing a commotion but it was too late for that. Now they just had to finish quickly.

She made her way into the Apothecary and grabbed some of the ingredients she would need for potions class. She was very nervous to see if Slughorn was coming back. She was sick of having him bugging them constantly about how special they were. Plus, since Ron was never invited she was worried about how he would take another year of it.

She paid for the items and walked quickly out the door and back into the sunshine on the cobblestone streets and headed down to the book store.

She opened the door and stepped into the shop. She breathed deeply in the smell of books old and new. Why hadn't she hid here? Well it didn't matter anymore. She was there now.

She grabbed all of the books she would need for classes quickly and started to look around for books to read for fun while she waited for the others.

They would have to come here eventually and people would be talking about them if the had been there already they, unlike her, were pretty hard to mistake for anyone else. She on the other hand could look like anyone that was having a bad hair day. Well not so much anymore.

She picked up a book titled 'Useful Spells and Charms for a Medi-witch'

"Hmm. That could be useful," she said to herself.

She opened it up and was soon lost in its pages until a loud noise from the front of the shop caught her attention. Someone had just knocked over a tall stack of books and red hair was peeking out from under the pile of books.

"Goodness Ron," Hermione said trying to restrain her laughter. There was no way to keep a low profile now.

She walked over to him and pulled some of the books off him so that he could sit up. Ron's face and ears matched his hair and he refused to look up at her. Hermione offered him a hand and pulled him to his feet with a smile.

"You certainly know how to make an entrance Ronald," she said with a smile.

"Shut-up," Ron said jokingly as Hermione kissed him gently on the cheek and he turned a few shades darker red.

She took his hand and walked over to the book pile where she had found her school books and grabbed his easily from their respective stacks, telling Ron ,when he tried to take a book from one of the stacks that she wouldn't rescue him from anymore falling books and he didn't try again.

They had just about finished getting all of his books and were about to pay when Harry and Ginny ran into the store panting. Hermione smiled at them and offered Harry the books that he needed for class.

"Thanks," he panted. "Let's get outta here. Their right behind us."

They paid quickly and Apparated right from the store back to the Burrow as the crowd of people burst into the shop. They walked into the kitchen and sat down on the stools by the counter to tired to do much else.

A smirk crossed Ron's face as he looked at Ginny and Harry. "You two sure were gone for a long time. Are you sure that you were shopping? Hermione and I were finished a long time before you," Ron drawled.

Harry blushed but Ginny looked indignant. "Ron! We were running just as much as you were. But besides that fact I don't want you intruding on my privacy," Ginny said angrily.

Mrs. Weasley came bustling in happily. "Oh my, I hadn't known you'd come back yet. I'll have dinner prepared quickly. It's almost five thirty. Arthur should be home soon too so he can join us," Molly said with a smile.

"Thank-you very much. I'm going to go put my stuff up in your room ok Ginny? Ron, Harry, you probably should too. We don't want to have our stuff all over the place," Hermione said, all business.

She grabbed her bags and carried all of them up to the room she shared with Ginny and was putting them down on her bed when the door opened down stairs and Mrs. Weasley screamed. Hermione ran down the stairs and saw a girl collapse in the doorway to the house, blond hair matted with blood and covered in soot.

"Luna," Hermione gasped as she raced over to the girl and helped her limp over to the seat she had just vacated.

"My dad… he's hurt… gotta help him…" moaned Luna as a little blood trickled out of her mouth.

"Mr. Lovegood? Luna, I need you to tell me what happened, quickly," Molly said as soon as she had recovered from the shock.

"The explosion, it wasn't that big but there were so many trees, they only made it worse. He was doing an experiment. He wanted… he wanted to make electric fire. So that he could turn it on and off with a switch. Like muggle electricity… he learned about it from Mr. Weasley. Mr. Weasley can help him! He's the only one… it didn't work. It back fired. The grass caught fire first… then the trees and they started falling on us… and then he was on fire but he jumped into the water and he went all still! I don't know what happened. You've gotta help him," Luna moaned as tears fell fast from her eyes.

"Ginny, you stay here with Luna. You lot, come with me," Mrs. Weasley said, taking charge.

They Apparated from the spot and reappeared behind Luna's house. It was easy to see where Luna's story had happened but the fire was out now, almost as if it had been snuffed out as soon as Mr. Lovegood jumped in the river.

The River! They ran down the hill to the little river behind the house as fast as they could and they saw Luna's father floating in the water, thankfully with his head up in the air.

Harry and Ron swam out into the water and grabbed onto his arms so they could pull him back with them.

They dragged him onto the shore with much effort and pulled him onto the soft grass. Hermione felt for a pulse in his wrist and when she felt one she immediately pointed her wand at his chest and muttered a spell to pull all of the water from his lungs.

Mr. Lovegood drew deeper breaths but other than that he remained unchanged.

"Electric fire… electric fire and … water…" Hermione muttered. "electric… water…" Hermione gasped.

"Harry he was electrocuted," Hermione said eyes wide.

Harry nodded slowly. Hermione must be right. That meant that if he was still alive now he was fine, well as fine as he could be. His hair was missing chunks and his eyebrows were completely gone. His clothes were tattered and torn but other than a little bit of blackened skin which St. Mungos might be able to fix he was relatively alright and he would wake up shortly.

Harry explained this in as simple terms as he could to Mrs. Weasley and Ron who still appeared to not understand but they trusted Harry so didn't question it.

They Apparated Luna's father back with them and then Mrs. Weasley Apparated him to St. Mungos with Luna.

"Harry, her right leg is broken. One of the burning trees fell on it. I fixed it up as best as I could but I didn't want to try and reset the bone," Ginny said as her eyes filmed over with tears.

"Hermione, where did you learn the charm to get the water out of his lungs? That was bloody brilliant," Ron said in amazement.

"From one of the books I was reading at Flourish and Blotts. I decided to buy it because I thought it might be useful. Now I'm glad I did," She said, trying not to think about what might have happened if she didn't know the spell. It might not have killed him but she couldn't be sure.

"Did Luna tell you how she got here without any of the muggles noticing her?" Hermione asked Ginny, remembering how horrible Luna had looked and in daylight no less. Someone must have seen her.

"She said she Apparated. I remember McGonagall made sure that we learned last year, even with the Carrows there." Ginny said softly, none of them really wanting to talk.

They sat in silence around the fire in the living room until they were too tired to stay awake and fell asleep in their chairs, hoping everything would look better in the morning.

hope you liked it! Please review! i appreciate helpful critisism. i might be able to keep up the quick updates if i get reviews! :)


	4. Better in Morning, Worse by the Evening

Hey! lol. i'm disapointed in you all. :( i need reviews if i'm going to write this story otherwise i will be very sad. :( plus updates will take a lot longer. you were all lucky with the first three. please make me happy and review. :) I'm working toward the dramione. i know that it can get annoying if there is no interaction, just bear with me. enjoy please! :)

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For the first time, in a long time things did look better in the morning. Mrs. Weasley flooed them at eight thirty to tell them that Mr. Lovegood was awake and was going to be allowed to leave in a couple of hours. She was going to stay with Luna there until Mr. Lovegood was allowed to leave.

Very cheered by the news, they all set to work preparing breakfast. Teddy and his grandparents had gone out for breakfast and left a note on the kitchen table so they didn't need to worry about that.

Once they had it all prepared they went outside and set the food up on picnic tables before eating with renewed appetites.

"Oi, Ginny, pass the orange juice," Ron called from beside Hermione. Ginny sat across from Hermione and Harry from Ron.

Ginny handed it over without bothering to look at him.

"So, were all going to be in the same year?" Ginny spoke eagerly.

"I'm actually not sure. We will be in the same classes but I don't know how McGonagall is going to arrange things," Hermione said staring at the sky behind Harry.

"Bloody hell, we've got graduate privilege! That completely trumps 7th year privilege,"

"Ron! I will not allow you to take advantage of other students because of your age! Besides there never even was 7th year privilege, it was all in your head," Hermione said in an annoyed tone, still not looking away from the sky. "Do you lot recognize that owl?" Hermione pointed up above Harry's head at a Barn Owl that zeroing in on their table.

"No, what do you reckon?" Ron asked curiously as the large bird landed on the table knocking over Ron's recently filled glass of orange juice and making Ron moan exasperatedly.

Hermione ignored him and took the letter tied around the bird's leg off easily. She gave the owl the rest of her bread and it flew off back in the direction it had come.

The letter had their names written in large capital letters across the back and she opened it hesitantly.

Hermione read the following contents out loud:

Ms. Hermione Granger and Mr.'s Harry Potter and Ron Wealey,

You have been admitted back into Hogwarts for another year so that you might better your skills and take your N.E.W.Ts. Because your year is of age we are requesting that you return two weeks prior the official start of school. Many things will be different at Hogwarts and we would like a chance to go over rules and decide on new protocol for your age group. This has never before happened at Hogwarts and we should hope that it will never need to happen again for the same reasons but it is necessary to develop rules to govern your behavior while you are at Hogwarts. The Hogwarts express will be at King's Cross at the usual time, two weeks before school starts and you can board it then. Your tickets and supplies list are included in this envelope. We look forward to seeing you back this year.

The Hogwarts Staff

"Two bloody weeks," Ron shouted, "has McGonagall gone mental? That's only in… in… how many days is that?" Ron asked turning to Hermione.

"That's tomorrow, Ron," Hermione said as she reread the letter.

"Well I'm glad that we already got our school supplies," Harry said with a smile. "Diagon alley is about to have a stamped."

Hermione and Ron let out a laugh as the tense atmosphere deteriorated.

"Well I suppose we should start to pack," Hermione said seroulsly.

"We should finish eating first," Ron said quickly.

"Ron, your plate is empty," Hermione said calmly.

Ron glanced down at his empty plate, back up at Hermione and then grabbed all the food in easy reach and covered his plate, turning back to smile up at Hermione.

Hermione smiled back at Ron before grabbing him by his ear and proceeding to drag him back into the house.

"But mione, I'm hungry," Ron moaned, "and that bloody owl knocked over my orange juice!"

Hermione just laughed viciously and pulled him up the stairs.

Harry slowly turned to Ginny trying to keep a straight face. He failed and they both fell off the bench laughing.

"Harry! If you don't get up here now too I'm going to come down there and pull you up by your ear too," Hermione shouted with a smirk from Ron's bedroom window.

"No! Harry, run, save yourself," Ron moaned from somewhere behind Hermione.

Harry and Ginny burst out laughing again.

"Well I had better go. Ron is in terrible danger and I must save him," Harry said with a grin as he stood up off the ground.

"Oh fair knight in shining armor, go save they day or whatever you're supposed to do these days," Ginny said with a smirk.

"Of course my lady," Harry said as pulled Ginny up by her outstretched hand and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

Ginny smiled at him as he walked away and back into the burrow. She glanced back down at the all of the things still lying on the table. She couldn't clean them with magic yet. She was turning seventeen in four days. She would just have to leave the mess for Ron.

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After making completely sure that Ron and Harry were indeed packing Hermione went to her room and made quick work of all her things.

She used a difficult charm to fold all f her clothes neatly before setting them gently into her suitcase. She applied a safety charm on a bag that she could keep all magical items in so that something wouldn't happen to them and pilled everything into her suitcase except for a pair of her school robes, some fun books, and some other purse stuff into her school book bag for the train ride, Ginny was down in the kitchen talking to Molly Weasley.

She yawned and stepped out of her room and walked over to Ron and Harry's room. She raised a hand to knock but hesitated when she their heard voices.

"Harry, it isn't that I don't like her, I do. She just is too smart for me and she doesn't act like a girlfriend," Ron said, trying to make Harry understand.

"What exactly is your definition of girlfriend, a make-out buddy like LavLav? Hermione isn't like that and I thought you knew that," Harry said angrily.

"That's not what I mean! I like having her around and all but she just isn't… right for me. I'm sure she feels it too. Were just too different," Ron said sadly. He really did wish the relationship would work.

"Ron, if you really feel that way you've got to talk to her. I don't want my two best mates fighting," Harry said. He had liked them being together. It had made things easier. They hadn't felt awkward when Harry and Ginny went on dates and now it would just feel weird, especially if Hermione took it badly.

"I know. I'm just nervous. I want to stay friends. It's just for so long I've wanted to be with her and now I just don't feel it anymore," Ron said softly.

Hermione stepped away from the door slowly and walked back into Ginny's room, closing the door silently behind her and locking it. She walked over to the bed she had slept on and lay down, closing her eyes.

Ron was right of course, she had felt the spark slipping away. They had liked each other for years before they got together, maybe that had been the problem. Maybe they had waited too long.

Whatever the reason, it was over. She was back to being the third wheel for Harry and Ginny. Ron would most likely hook up with some girl when the got back to Hogwarts.

Her thoughts were interrupted by pecking at the window. She turned her head slightly to see a large Eagle Owl sitting on the window sill. She walked over to it cautiously and took one of the treats from by Ginny's owl, offering it up as she opened the window. She gave the bird the treat as it hooted softly and hoped in, offering his leg up with the letter.

She took the letter off and opened it. The letter had a few crossings out all over and blots of ink where the writer had been unsure of what to say but all in all it was extremely short. It read 'I'm going back, thanks, Malfoy'.

Hermione stared at it for a couple of seconds trying to figure out what it meant. It was so odd. Finally she folded the letter up and stuffed it into her pocket. She grabbed a few more of the treats from and gave them to the bird that then nipped her knuckle affectionately before heading back out the window.

In a daze with the conversation she had overheard forgotten Hermione went down the stairs and into the kitchen to see Mrs. Weasley.

"Hermione, Ginny just told me that you lot are leaving tomorrow! I haven't had any time to plan a dinner party for you like I said I would. It'll have to be tonight. We can just invite some friends over to congratulate you all and their own kids. It'll be last minute but I'm sure it will be fine," Mrs. Weasley said, already pointing her wand at a stack of blank parchment where the invitations began to make themselves.

"Thank-you very much. Do you need any help," Hermione asked happily.

"Hmm well if it isn't too much trouble you could get the others and set up some tables and decorations outside," Mrs. Weasley said after a while.

"Sure," Hermione said brightly as she went up to Harry and Ron's room. She would just have to not think about what she had heard. It wouldn't do to make everyone feel awkward.

"Harry, Ron, your mum wants us to set stuff up for the dinner party tonight," Hermione called up the stairs.

Ron opened the door slowly. "Dinner?" he asked, almost drooling.

Hermione and Harry laughed as they made their way down the stairs and outside pulling out their wands as they went. Ron hurried after them still in a food daze.

"Do you always think with your stomach, Ron?" Hermione said with a smile.

"Well maybe if I had been able to finish my orange juice this morning I wouldn't be like this," Ron said stubbornly.

"Ron, just let it go," Harry said grinning.

With a flick of her wand Hermione cleared the table from breakfast and stacked the clean dishes in a pile floating a foot above the ground while all of the trash and uneaten food were levitated into a conjured garbage bin.

Ron levitated more tables over and pushed them together to make one long table while Harry set up strings of lights around, confetti and balloons.

"I think that's all," Hermione said looking around, pleased with the changes.

"Yep, that's it. Mum just finished flooing all of the letters. We should be getting replies soon," Ginny said walking out the back door and going to stand by Harry who slipped an arm around her.

"Great! We can eat now," Ron said, his entire face lighting up.

"Ron, calm down. We can probably get a snack but you shouldn't ruin your appetite before dinner," Hermione said with a giggle.

"What do you want to do before we eat then," Ron asked reluctantly.

"I know what I want to do," Ginny said slyly with a look up at Harry who blushed.

"Not in front of me," Ron bellowed.

"We should probably help your mom with cooking, Ron."

"Yah," Harry agreed.

"I suppose," Ron muttered.

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Hermione sat in her chair, cold as stone as she stared at Ron and Lavander. They were sharing a chair and Lavender was pressing as much of herself against Ron as possible without their lips touching.

Hermione had the urge to curse Ron but thought better of it. Neville had decided to invite Lavender to come with him to the party and she had happily agreed. Now she was happily perched halfway on Ron's lap.

Lavender's arrival had come with good and bad news. The good news was that Hermione couldn't care less about seeing Ron with another girl, the spark was officially gone. The bad news was that Ron didn't seem to care that he hadn't broken up with Hermione before Lavender flung herself at him and he didn't seem like he would be able to pull away to do so any time soon.

Hermione gagged in disgust as Lavender moved over on the small chair so that her left leg was practically on his. She stood from the table and walked off while everyone else continued to eat. Hermione really had no idea what she had seen in him in the first place. He wasn't the right kind of person for her. His head turned at a pretty girl not an interesting topic of discussion. His brain span of understanding her didn't stretch past friendship.

Deep down she knew what had made her so happy to be with him in the first place. For a time, no matter how short, she had been the one that his attention had never wavered from, the one that he obsessed over. It had felt so good. But of course, she was no match for the beautiful slender Lavender. She glared at a blade of grass as if it was the cause of her anger before giving up and leaving the poor piece of grass alone.

She sighed softly. She just wished Ron would pull his head out of his butt for a minute so that he would have the decency to end it with her before going off with Lavender, but no luck there. He hadn't said a word to her since LavLav arrived.

Well this was certainly a great way to celebrate going back to school for more of this where she couldn't just run away from it. At least Harry and Ron seemed to be having fun. She walked over to a tree in the back yard with low-hanging branches and slowly climbed it until she was almost to the top. She rested her cheek against the cool bark and tried to ignore the sounds from below her.

Hermione had no idea how she would survive this year. She would end it with Ron right after Lavender left. Even after everything she still wanted to be friends. He was a good friend. He would probably always be a better friend than he was a boyfriend.

Hermione closed her eyes and tried to imagine Hogwarts. It would be so different. She pulled Malfoy's letter out of her pocket and reread it again. Could he really be that grateful that she had told him about Hogwarts admitting students back in? Who knew with Malfoy.

Hermione had thought about telling the others that he was going back but decided against it. In all the rush about Luna's dad she had forgotten to tell them that she had ran into him. If she told them now and that she had gotten a letter from him Ron would jump to conclusions and say she had been trying to hide it. Hermione resigned to tell them if something interesting happened.

Hermione laughed. Interesting? This entire year was going to be interesting.

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:) YEAH! that took me while. i didn't know exactly how i wanted to do this chapter but i got some help from my only reviewer so props to **_actwritesing _**my ONLY reviewer. give u any ideas? :) lol thankx for reading!


	5. Why Kids Shouldn't Be Allowed on Trains

Hey hey! lol i'm sorry it took me ages to update i was really busy and i wanted to make this chapter good. i don't know if i really like it that much anyway though. i rewrote it a bunch of times but i don't know. please tell me if you like it! read and review! and last of all please enjoy! :)

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Hermione's alarm clock rang loudly and fell off the side table where she had placed it and bounced off her head onto the floor. She moaned but sat up slowly, realigning the bones in her body one by one. She let out a yawn and stretched her arms above her head in an ark tiredly.

"Ginny," Hermione called to the girl across from her that appeared to have slept through the alarm clock.

Ginny grumbled something unintelligible before opening one eye to glare at Hermione. Her hair fell into her eyes comically and she buried her head back in the pillow.

"Ok, you can stay in bed. I'll just tell Harry that you were too tired to get up and say good-bye."

"I'm awake!" Ginny shot out of bed in a flash. She threw her clothes around the room angrily, trying to find something appropriate.

Hermione laughed. "Somehow I didn't think you would miss this, Gin,"

"I'll go wake the boys," Hermione said, her tone changing.

Ginny looked up from her attack of the dresser. She walked over to Hermione and gave her a tight hug. Hermione had ended it with Ron last night after everybody left and when Ginny had pulled herself away from Harry long enough to ask Hermione what was wrong she had told Ginny everything.

"It'll be ok. He isn't good enough for you Mione. He's a git," Ginny said smiling.

"At least were still friends."

Hermione pulled away gently from Ginny and walked over to the door, opening it slowly and stepping into the hall. She walked down the hallway and knocked on Harry and Ron's door.

"You lot, it's morning. Time to get up," Hermione called through the door.

A chorus of moans sounded through the door and she giggled as she walked away.

She meandered back into her and Ginny's room to find Ginny, now fully dressed, flopped out on her bed wearing a pair of black jeans and a purple t-shirt with her eyes closed.

Hermione walked over to her and poked her small stomach. Ginny moaned and tried to hit her hand away but Hermione persisted and poked her again, smirking evilly. Ginny opened eyes and glared at her.

Hermione just smiled innocently and grabbed Ginny's hands, pulling her up off the bed.

Ginny sighed. "I suppose mum is down stairs making breakfast and I should go help her."

"Don't worry, Gin. You'll see us again in two weeks. I'll come down and help too," Hermione said smiling.

"Two whole weeks! You had better celebrate when I show up."

Hermione laughed and threw and arm around Ginny's neck pulling her down the stairs.

"Come on. Let's go," Hermione said smiling.

Ginny shrugged and followed her down the stairs.

"Morning mum."

"Good morning Ginny, Hemrione," Molly Weasley said smiling.

"Good morning Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said brightly. "Do you need anything?"

"No, no. I'm quite alright really. This is supposed to be special. I have no extra work for you. You can go and get changed Hermione. You have a big day ahead of you," Molly said, eyes twinkling with happiness.

"Thank-you," Hermione said as she headed back up the stairs.

She grabbed the outfit she had laid out on the bed and slipped on the skinny blue jeans. She pulled the red long sleeved-shirt over her head and glared at her mess of curls. Hermione ran her hands through her hair a few times with no success before giving up and pulling it all up into a high ponytail with stray curls in the front that refused to be tamed. She tossed her pajamas into her suit case angrily, upset that she had already packed her hair brush.

"Loca-mortis trunks," Hermione said pointing her wand at her things. They levitated into the air and she carried them carefully down the stairs behind her before setting them on the ground by the door.

She turned slowly to face the now full table. Teddy Lupin sat on his grandmother's lap beside her husband with Mrs. And Mr. Weasley on one side of the table while Ginny, Harry and Ron sat on the other with an empty spot for her beside Ginny.

She sat down carefully, trying not to draw attention to herself. They were talking about who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher would be.

"I heard that Minerva hired a muggle born witch," Molly said.

"Yes, I heard that too. I thought that someone said she was very young, her parents died during You-Know-Who's last reign when she was about to leave Hogwarts. Something like that," Mr. Weasley agreed.

They discussed the new teacher for a short while trying to remember her name but it escaped them. When they had all finished eating they piled into the car and drove off to King's Cross Station.

They clambered out of the car when the arrived and rushed quickly to the column entry way to platform 9¾. Ginny and Hermione went first, casually leaning against the stones as they slid through the barrier. Ron and Harry came next, walking sideways through the wall and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley followed inconspicuously.

Hermione stared around the platform, searching out others of their year who might have come back.

She spotted Neville and the Patele twins among many other familiar and unfamiliar faces. She was appalled at all of the younger siblings running around. She hadn't known that so many people in her year had little children that weren't at Hogwarts yet.

Some of them looked a lot like their older siblings but others didn't. She saw a girl who looked about eight and seemed to be a miniature of Hannah Abott standing with a big group of kids and talking to dark haired boy with wide brown eyes and a mischievous smile. They smiled at each other and their eyes lit up brightly with trouble-making. They turned to the friends next to them and cupped their hands around their mouths whispering into each others ears. The whisper passed around with barley suppressed glee.

Hermione stared in awe as the children spread their secret and then, sneaking a glance at their parents who still had no idea what was happening, they slunk, single file, onto the train.

Hermione's attention was shifted then because Lavender Brown came running up at that exact moment and flung her arms around 'Won Won'.

Ron tried to send Hermione a half apologetic look but she just waved it away and laughed and them. They made such a strange picture among all of the other people on the platform.

Harry smiled with ease and laughed too. Ginny punched him lightly on the shoulder and twined her finger with his. It was strange but Hermione didn't feel left out anymore. Maybe it was because she had finally accepted it and knew that she didn't want to be with Ron.

She surveyed the people around her. They all had lost something in the war. Now they were trying to start again. It just made her bubble up with glee. They all had a chance to move on again and so did she. She closed her eyes and breathed in the peace and serenity it was all so blissful.

The calm atmosphere was cut was destroyed by a low moan emanating from inside one of the train cars. The adults glanced in the direction before turning back to whatever had preoccupied them before, completely indifferant.

Hermione gasped as she remembered the little kids. She turned to Harry and pulled on his arm.

"Harry! A bunch of little kids just went on that train! What if that was one of them," Hermione worried, working herself into a frenzy.

Harry sighed before kissing Ginny passionately on the lips and telling her that he would see her in two weeks while Hermione tapped her foot impatiently. They said hurried good-byes to the Molly and Arthur before Harry grabbed Ron by the back of his shirt and dragged him to the train, following Hermione. They pulled all of their things with them and walked slowly down the train, trying to find the source of the noise.

It sounded again, pitifully, a few compartments down. Hermione raced to the door and pulled it open with Harry and Ron close behind her.

Her eyes widened at the scene before her. The kids she had seen climbing aboard the train sat comfortably all over the compartment. They seemed to be oblivious to the intruders. Two were seated on the right side with an open trunk between them and its contents strewn around the room. Another sat staring out the window obviously bored.

Hermione immediately recognized Hannah's sister sitting on the left side poking a cloaked lump with her finger and the boy she had been with before sat atop the back of the figure. The little boy poked the figure where a head should have been and another moan sounded while the lump moved and the cloak slipped to reveal white blond hair and the top of Draco Malfoy's head and face.

He turned to glare at the child on his back. The boy leaned closer to his face and then stretching out a little hand he poked Draco's nose and his face broke into a wide grin as he nearly fell of his back from laughing too hard at the expression of shock on Draco's face. Malfoy moaned and pressed his face against the window. A group of little kids sat in awe as the watched to two braver kids poke him experimentally in the cheek. Occasionally they would get daring and reach up to pull on his cloak but that was all.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron stood frozen, shocked to their core. Hermione was the first to recover.

"What are you all doing in here? I'm sure your parents are worried," she lied easily with a smile at the little children.

A little boy that looked like Ernie stared up at her with fear in his eyes. "Mommy and Daddy are worried? Will you tell them what I did?"

Hermione smiled brightly at them. "Nope. We promise we won't tell anybody if you go back right now. It'll be our little secret."

Ron and Harry nodded. It seemed to be all they were capable of doing.

Hermione turned to the boy with dark hair from before; he seemed to be he leader.

"Will you and your friends go back now?"

He eyed her suspiciously and said carefully, "You pinky promise you wont tell anybody?"

Hermione giggled and nodded, extending her pinky to him. He stretched his own and then ushered his friends all back out of the compartment and off the train.

"Is it really safe? Are they really gone?" Draco's muffled voice sounded and they turned to look at him with his eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"Yah they're gone. Your stuff's a mess though," Hermione said laughing.

Ron and Harry looked at her in shock while Malfoy slowly sat up and assessed the situation. He winced lightly at the damage. A few shirts had been tossed around but mostly it was socks. They were balled up and from how many were laying around it looked like they had made a game out of them. His book, parchment, and quills were lying everywhere and under the seats and it seemed like and ink bottle and broken on the seat across from him.

He stood fluidly and began to clean the ink from the seat with an easy charm.

Hermione smiled. "I'll help."

She turned before she could notice his and her friends shocked and alarmed expressions and spoke the charm that she had used when packing to fold his clothes back up and arrange themselves back in the bag.

Draco looked away from her and muttered a soft "Thanks."

Harry and Ron floundered for words. Finally Harry was able to string together an actual sentence, "What are you doing back Malfoy?"

Draco turned incredulously to look at Hermione.

"You didn't tell them? I thought there were no secrets in the golden trio," He said smirking lightly.

"T-tell us what, mione," Ron stuttered.

"Well… you see… it never really came up," Hermione said staring at the floor as a blush crept into her cheeks. "It wasn't relevant."

"Do you think it's relevant now," Harry asked more amused and surprised than angry.

"I guess," Hermione answered sheepishly.

Ron stared at her open mouthed. Hermione glared at him.

"Honestly Ron! Close your mouth," Hermione snapped.

Ron shut it immediately and behind her she heard Draco chuckle. She realized instantaneously the she had never heard the sound before, never a real chuckle. She was astounded at how pleasant and appealing the sound was and she turned slowly to stare his relaxed face. It was ridiculous that the sound could distract her so easily and so entirely.

"Mione?"

Hermione's attention flicked quickly back to Harry. "Oh yeah… so I saw him when we went to get our school supplies."

"Oh and don't for get my owl," Draco added with a grin, clearly enjoying the queasy look on Hermione's face and the outraged expression on Ron's.

"What! I want the whole explanation Hermione," Ron nearly shouted.

Harry seemed to be restraining a laughing fit and almost fell over with the train started to move.

"Oh no! We haven't even found a compartment yet," Hermione squealed.

"Don't think your getting out of this so easily. I want the whole explanation here and now," Ron said his eyes narrow slits.

"Might as well get comfortable, I really want to here this one Mione," Harry said as he walked past Hermione and sat in the seat across from Malfoy. Hermione's jaw dropped and Draco's eyes widened. But Hermione finally sat down beside Harry, upset at being forced into the situation. Ron stared at them like they'd gone mad. Harry gestured at the seat besides Hermione with a small smile. Grudgingly Ron sat down on her other side with a huff.

Draco smirked as Ron glared at Hermione. She looked very uncomfortable. The girl turned to Draco and Harry for help but they both looked at her expectantly with small almost identical smirks. She glared at them both before giving up. She moaned and dropped her head between her hands. This was going to be a long train ride.

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Hmmmmmmm. so i'm not sure if i really liked how this turned out but please review and tell me what you think. thank-you to my reviewers **actwritesing**, and** DragonQuillZ. **i really appreciate it! please review! pretty please with a fast update on top! review! :) thankx for reading and you know what you can do to make the update faster. :p thank you!


	6. In Which There are Chocolate Frogs

I'm so happy! i think this is my longest chapter yet and that makes me happy! i hope it makes you happy too! i worked on this one for ages. i wanted to include everything from the train to meeting the new teacher but i didn't have the space. it would just take to long and get boring to read. but i am really proud of this chapter it just hit eight pages! giggle Please read and review, you couldn't make me happier. it really does make me want to write more faster. this chapter goes out to **actwritesing** and** coffeeluvr333 **who messaged me constantly to get me to keep writng. i also want to thank all my other reviewers for the last chapter,** Kat. 1600 **and **rainbowrows. **well please read and review!

disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. it's that simple i don't see why it takes you people this long to understand it.

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"So I guess that's it. You really are making far too big a deal out of this," Hermione said as she finished explaining.

Ron stared at her with his mouth open. Harry just turned away and looked out the window. This was probably the strangest thing that had ever happened to him, possibly stranger than discovering he was a wizard.

He was sitting in a train compartment with the boy who had made his life horrible since first year and they weren't yelling at each other. They were all talking in a mildly civil fashion. Hermione had just said that she had spoken to Malfoy before and had received and owl from him. The world had gone mad.

No, this made no sense. Clearly he was dreaming. He pinched himself and winced. He was defiantly awake and that defiantly hurt.

Maybe this was what Hermione meant. Now that people had to find their own way they would end up doing things they would never dream of. He threw a glance at Malfoy. He seemed to be as shocked as Harry by his surroundings.

Draco seemed to notice his gaze and turned away from watching Hermione try to pull Ron out of his daze to look at him. Harry raised an eyebrow but Malfoy just shrugged and turned to look out the window.

"Aguamenta," Hermione said pointing her wand at Ron who was still staring at her like a fish.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Ron screamed and jumped out of his seat.

"Mione! That water was cold," Ron moaned as he pulled of his jacket. "This stuff will take forever to dry."

Hermione laughed. "Why don't you just try a drying charm?"

"When the bloody hell did we learn those?" Ron muttered angrily, looking up at her with surprise.

"In fourth year Charms class Ronald. You would know but you were to busy playing hangman with Harry."

"Oh yeah," Ron mumbled, looking at the ground as is face turned red. "Do you think you could do it for me Mione?"

"I really should let you sit in your wet clothes because it's your own fault, but seeing as your sitting next to me and I want to keep dry I might as well," Hermione said in a bored tone, flicking her wand at him and performing the spell non-verbally.

Ron sat down beside her grumpily. She yawned lightly and stowed her wand back in her pocket.

"I still can't bloody believe you talked to him though! It's just not like you, either of you," Ron muttered the last bit under his breath with a side ways glance and Draco.

"What makes you think that you know anything about what I'm like?" Malfoy growled as he turned to glare at him.

Ron glared back and said, "Well it couldn't have anything to do with you being a pain to us for the last seven years now could it? Your just like your father, you are."

"I am nothing like that man," Draco said icily as his eyes turned cold and he looked back out the window.

"Fine. Deny the facts. We all know it doesn't change anything," Ron spat as he turned away.

Malfoy stood fluidly from his seat, eyes flashing.

"Stop it! We aren't little kids anymore. The war is over and all the fighting is done. Nobody wants to think about the past. Things are different now and we all have the same rights. When I told you lot that I wanted to go back it was because I thought everybody would get a clean slate and we could all start over," Hermione said angrily as she stood too.

"I'm going to go sit somewhere else. I need to think," She said as she walked past Ron and out into the corridor.

"Crap. I gotta go after her," Ron said dubiously. He gave Malfoy one last glare before stepping out of the compartment and slamming the door behind him.

Malfoy sat back down slowly and turned again to look out the window. Harry sat there awkwardly for a moment, not sure if he was supposed to leave now too.

"They left their stuff here. There going to come back," Malfoy said too him without turning from the window.

Harry just nodded. For a while the only sound was the train rumbling over the tracks and the faint sounds of people in nearby compartments. Harry twitched irritatedly. He hated awkward silences but Draco didn't seem to care in the slightest and continued to stare, unmoving out the window.

"Treats! Any of you want something to eat," Called the lady from the Trolley. She slid open their door as she passed and her eyes widened with shock.

Harry turned to face her and saw her baffled expression as she looked from Harry to Draco and back again. She wasn't the same sweet lady that usually pushed the cart. She had gray hair and was missing a lot of teeth. She was hunched over the cart in an angry manner with talon like hands pushing it forward.

"Um, can I have two chocolate frogs?" Harry asked awkwardly as he reached into his pockets to pull out the money.

"what- uh yes, here ya go," She said distractedly. She turned away and had started to close the door behind her when she stopped and looked back at Harry, whispering quietly, "he's a deatheater, Harry Potter! You had best be careful. Can't trust that lot,"

Harry saw Draco's body stiffen at the words out of the corner of his eye and he gave the lady a forced smile.

"No he isn't. He's just another student here to learn more," Harry said assuredly.

The lady didn't seem sure whether to believe him or not but after own last glance at Draco she turned away and shut the door behind her mumbling about stupid boys and what she would do to them if she was allowed.

"uh- well, thanks Potter," Malfoy mumbled without taking his gaze from the window.

"No problem," Harry said lightly, tossing one of the chocolate frogs to him. "Suspicious old lady, be a great match for Flitch she would. I miss the nice lady that used to push the trolley," Harry said with a smile, ignoring the shocked look on Draco's face as he looked down at the chocolate frog in his lap.

"You passed me a chocolate frog," Draco said slowly as if unsure of the words. He didn't seem to be able to take his eyes off it. He stared at it without touching it. Then he lifted a pale hand and slowly poked the wrapping with one finger, drawing his hand back immediately as if afraid it would bite him.

Harry laughed loudly. How could this be the boy that had tormented him all those years?

"You're supposed to eat it you know."

Draco finally lifted his gaze to glare at Harry. "I know what I'm supposed to do with it I just don't bloody know why," He said angrily.

"Well you see Malfoy. It's made out of chocolate and chocolate tastes good. So people normally-," Harry started with a sickly sweet smile. He was having too much fun now.

"I know that! I'm not an imbecile! I mean why you gave it to me," Draco said, staring back at it again.

"Well that's simple. You didn't get one and you seem like the kind of person who likes chocolate. I knew I wanted one so I got you one too. Simple logic really," Harry said with a grin. How could it be this easy to be friendly with him?

"Well, thanks I guess," Draco said a little taken aback. He continued to stare wide eyed at the frog. Until slowly he picked it up and opened the wrapping.

Harry was already half way finished with his. He pulled out the card with a famous wizard on it.

"Remus Lupin," Harry said staring at the card sadly. Draco's head shot up at the name. He knew that was one of the people that had died in the final battle. He wanted to say something but he didn't know what. He wasn't good at this kind of thing.

Harry noticed his gaze and looked up with a sad smile.

"I know you might not want to talk about whatever your reason is Malfoy but I'm really curious. Why did you decide to come back this year?"

Draco turned away to look out the window again and it was quiet for so long a time that Harry thought he wouldn't answer.

"A couple reasons I guess," Draco said in a distant voice still looking out the window. "It was nice to get the letter and see that they didn't think I was evil and that they would let me back in. I don't think it would have been enough though. If I had just gotten the letter I don't think I would have come back.

"I think the main reason was from Granger talking to me. She treated me like a normal human being and seemed to expect that I would go back just like everybody else. I don't think she understands how much hope that gave me. That it made me believe I might be able to do something with my life just because she spoke to me like I wasn't my father." Draco continued to gaze out the window but his eyes hardened as he finished.

"Anyone could have done that Malfoy," Harry said softly, still trying to absorb everything he had just learned.

Draco turned to look at him. "Yah but she's the one that did."

Harry nodded slowly in understanding and the both looked back out the window. The compartment was once again filled with the sounds of their surroundings. Harry was starting to fall asleep when the compartment door was pushed open and Ron and Hermione piled back in. Harry's head jerked up and his glasses slipped crookedly down his nose.

"oi mate! It's time you got contacts," Ron said shaking his head teasingly. Hermione sighed softly as Harry glared at Ron.

"I suppose we had better get our robes on," Hermione said as she pulled hers out of her enchanted purse.

Ron grumbled but grudgingly he and Harry turned to their luggage and began going through it in search of their robes. Hermione pulled her robes over her head and clothes before sitting back down. Harry slipped his on just as Ron pulled his out, completely oblivious to the mess surrounding him from all of the things he had thrown out of his suitcase.

"Found 'em! What the-," Ron froze in surprise. His shock quickly faded into anger. "Ginny!"

"What?" Harry said confused.

Ron turned the robes around to show Harry and Hermione the front with disgust. There was a big sloppy pink heart bejeweled in the center of his robes.

"That's right manly, that is," Harry said trying to hide his smile.

Hermione completely lost control and fell over laughing. Her outburst seemed to snap the last fiber of Harry's self-control and he keeled over roaring with laughter as well.

Ron glared at them angrily. Draco stared at them bemused. He craned his neck to see what they were all looking at and a wide evil grin spread across his face.

"I personally think it's a great style for you, Weasley," Draco said chuckling.

Ron face turned red from embarrassment and he turned to Hermione desperately.

"Mione! Can you please get them off," Ron moaned. Hermione just continued her laughing fit.

"Fine I can see your going to be no help. Um what's that spell...? Reducto?" Ron said pointing his wand at one of the gems. The gem blew up and his robes caught on fire instantly.

"Why me?" Ron said blankly, just staring at the flaming robes.

"A-auga-augamenta," Hermione finally managed, still laughing loudly.

Ron winced as he surveyed the damage to his robes. They were sopping went with part of it burned away and with a lopsided heart made out of now melted jewels. He moaned in anguish. They looked even worse than when they were girly.

"Oh just give me it Ronald," Hermione said trying to control her laughter.

She preformed a quick non-verbal spell to siphon the plastic gems off the robe and then pointing her wand at the robes said, "Repairo."

"Thanks Hermione," Ron said still red with embarrassment.

"No problem. I still don't understand why you're blaming Ginny for this," Hermione said with a smile.

"Yah Ron. It's ok that you did this. You don't need to blame Ginny. You can tell us the truth. We'll accept you no matter what," Harry said grinning widely.

Ron glared at them angrily and opened his mouth to let loose a string of colorful curse words but was immediately shut up by Hermione.

"You can explain later Ronald. We're almost to the carriages and you need to get your robes on. You're the only person without yours on yet," She said flatly.

"I didn't see Malfoy put his robes on," Ron said surprised.

"You wanted to, Weasley," Malfoy asked smirking as Ron turned an even darker shade of red.

"He had them on when we first go on the train Ron. Just get ready. We'll be there in a minute," Hermione said, saving Ron the prospect of answering. She looked out the window past Harry as the train started to slow.

Ron angrily slipped the robes over his head and started shoving all of the things that had fallen onto the ground and seat back into his trunk. The train came to a stand still and they all stood quickly from their seats. Hermione and Harry waved to Draco who nodded back as they left the compartment in opposite directions.

Pavartti and Neville raced up to them as soon as they were off the train with huge smiles on their faces.

"Harry! I was wondering where you'd got to," Neville said smiling.

"Ron, Lavender's looking for you. She wants to have a separate carriage," Pavartti said in an annoyed tone. Ron had the decency to blush before running off in the direction Pavartti pointed with a quick 'see ya later' to Harry and Hermione.

"You guys want to get a carriage," Neville asked, smiling.

"Sure Neville," Harry said as they made their way toward the carriages Hermione and Pavarti gave gasps of shock.

"Ew! What is it," Pavarti shrieked.

"Harry, that's what they look like," Hermione asked in fascinated shock.

It took Harry a moment to understand but when he did he laughed.

"You mean the Thestrals?"

"Oh yeah I suppose everybody who stayed for the last battle has seen death now," Neville said blankly.

As he spoke gasps went up from the small crowd of students as they noticed the skeletal horses.

Hermione laughed loudly. "I wonder how Ron's dealing with it."

At that moment a high pitched girly scream erupted from somewhere to the front of the crowed. Harry smiled brightly and turned to Hermione.

"I think he took it rather well."

Hermione grinned and said, "They really are magnificent. They're so beautiful in a majestic and powerful way." She smiled as she gazed dreamily at the nearest one.

"Mione, you're starting to sound like Luna. Just warn me if you decide to start wearing radishes in your ears," Harry said lightly.

Hermione elbowed him lightly in the ribs and he feigned injury.

"I'm dying! I'm gonna die," Harry moaned clutching his side in fake agony.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and walked forward into the nearest empty carriage with Harry, Neville, and Pavartti close behind. She sat down on the far side by the window and half listened to their conversation as they drew closer to the school. She sighed and leaned her forehead against the cool window to sooth her developing headache. She closed her eyes slowly and yawned. She remembered mumbling to Harry that he should wake her up when they got to the castle before she drifted off completely.

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ok i hope you liked it! please review and let me knoe what you thought. i'm sorry about the ending but i didn't want to get started into the next part since this was already getting a little too long for it to be fun. i should be able to put the next chapter up soon though because i have it all planned out already. please review! :)


	7. In Which Draco Meets a Painting

**Hey everybody! i know, i know.i haven't updated in over a century and i apoligies, ok? *dodges rotten vegetables* um i guess not. well i'm really proud of this chapter. i like it a lot better than most of my others. i hope that i'm going to be able to start updating quickly again but i don't give money back garuntees. :) especially since in the chapter before this i said i would update soon. hehe... no hard feelings though right? *ducks flying koala bear* hmmm nice to see your branching out. :0 lol well pretty please review! i would also once again like to thank my fabulous reviewers.** _scarlettcat, coffeeluvr333, actwritesing, Hand Steroids, and Gandalf the Grey-Edelweiss. **Thankyou! :)** _ **who are they you might ask. i'll tell you who they are. they are the wonderful people of the world so join them and you will find ultimate happiness (again just to clarify THIS IS NOT A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE) well :) please read and review! :)**

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Hermione awoke as the carriage bumped over a pothole and her head banged against the window she was leaning against. She opened her eyes as little as she could and peered out into the darkness surrounding them. They were approaching the castle and storm clouds were gathering. Hermione smiled softly: she loved storms. That would make it even easier to sleep when the storm broke. It was too bad she was too tired to watch it.

Hermione sighed regretfully but slowly opened her eyes the rest of the way and turned to face Harry with tired eyes.

Harry grinned slightly and said, "Good, you're up. I was just about to wake you, we're nearly there."

Hermione sighed again and sat up slowly stretching her muscles back out and her bones back into alignment. Her hands reached for the knot on her head where her ponytail had become loose and tied it back up as best as she could without a mirror or hairbrush.

The carriage came to a stop outside the huge doors and she stepped out after the others, carrying her luggage. Hermione glanced back at the thestrals with a sad smile before entering the great hall with Harry.

The hall was empty except for the teachers at the huge table in front. It felt weird to look up at the table and not see Dumbledore or Snape. A tall woman filled one of the seats. Hermione was forced to do a double take. This lady couldn't be a teacher. She looked far too young.

The lady had deep red hair swept up into pigtails right above where her ears should have been if they weren't covered by hair and with bangs hanging into her face. She wasn't wearing the teachers' robes though which made her stand out easily from the others, but she didn't seem to care in the least. She had quick black eyes that seemed to miss nothing as she watched the students come in through the doors. Those eyes kept flicking over to the Gryffindor table. Flicking toward Harry. Hermione's eyes narrowed, sizing up this new teacher.

Hermione drew her gaze away from the strange young newcomer and glanced around the hall. The house tables stood proudly in the middle of the Great Hall, the ancient wood still majestic. Hermione pulled Ron and Harry forward so that they could sit down near the head of the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Neville and Pavartti while Harry and Ron sat across from her next to Lavender.

Professor McGonagall stood as soon as everybody had taken a seat at their respective table and surveyed the room half full of pride at seeing so many students that wanted a good education and half feeling worried about what would happen with so many witches and wizards that were of age but still not quite responsible running around in one place.

"I am very happy to see that all of you have decided to come back and educate yourselves further. I would like to stress that you are here as a privilege and it can be lifted at any time. You are of age and should try to act responsibleu. All of the younger children will be looking up to you and you must behave accordingly.

"I am very pleased to introduce your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Evesdal," McGonagall said gesturing toward the new teacher who smiled warmly. "Of course there are going to be some new rules and codes of conduct but we will discus those after the dinner. With that, let the feast begin."

Hermione turned to face the others with a strange expression on her face. She piled some of the food in front of them onto her plate still deep in thought as she drowned out the sounds the others were making. This new teacher certainly was strange. Her name sounded strange and McGonagall had pronounced it with an accent, just breathing the first 'e' in a way that sounded almost like an 'h'.

Hermione vowed to look into it but tonight she was too tired to worry about any of that at the moment. She turned her attention back to what Harry and Ron. She was of course unsurprised to find that they were discussing Quidditch. She rolled her eyes in both exasperation and amusement as they talked.

"I don' know mate. I don't think they'll let us play," Ron said sadly.

"It's going to be ruddy awful having to watch and not play," Harry moaned.

Hermione harrumphed loudly, exasperation winning out.

"Honestly, we didn't come back here so that you lot could play quidditch," Hermione said as she frowned at them.

"Well maybe you didn't," Ron whispered under his breath.

Harry smiled before turning to survey the rest of the tables. Gryffindor defiantly had many people back but it looked like Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff weren't far behind. The Slytherain table even had more people than would have been expected. Malfoy, Pansy, Theodore, Blaise and a few others had all decided to return.

Hermione piled food on to her plate as she watched all the tables. It felt right to be back here again and although it was surprising that some of the people filling the hall had come back nobody seemed like they didn't belong here. Well, nobody but that new teacher Hermione thought, but she quickly shrugged it off, feeling as though it was just because all of the other students had been there for years and this teacher was new.

Ron across from her stopped briefly from shoveling food down his throat to look around at the others before shrugging and continuing his meal. Hermione just rolled her eyes again and chewed her food slowly as if thinking it over. The new rules this year would be interesting to say the least. Where would they sleep though? They couldn't be allowed to sleep in the dormitories and there were no rooms big enough for all of them.

Professor McGonagall stood and tapped her fork lightly against her glass but it resounded through the hall calling all attention to her at the head table.

"Because this is a new occurrence we have had to make many changes around here for your accommodation and new rules to keep those who tend to be adventurous in line. You will be permitted to go down to hogsmede anytime that you wish unless of course you have been told specifically or as a whole that you may not. You will not be under curfew unless you wake up students who are younger than you or conduct yourselves in a manor that is inappropriate. You will all be sleeping in the room of requirement. A spell has modified it so that it will remain a permanent residence for the rest of the year and if it is required to be changed into something else a second door will open in the wall leading to that room. All that we have done is modify it so that there is one common room plenty of bathrooms and boy and girl dormitories for every house. The entrances to each of the different house dormitories has a different password but the password for the room of requirement, as it now is in need of one is 'Unity'. If any changes need be made you can just wish for that change and say clearly 'my requirement' and the room will oblige. It will be up to you to add furniture and curtains and any special features to it that you would like, we have left the rooms quite plain.

"Also as Graduates you will not be permitted to participate in quidditch this year," Professor McGonagall said, ignoring the chorus of groans. "There will be a head boy and girl of seventh year but seeing as I doubt any of you will appreciate being told how to behave by someone younger than you after these two weeks I will select two heads to govern you graduates. Lastly, I must tell you that this year we will once again be hosting the Tri-Wizard Tournament. We are hosting the tournament in the hopes that it will help restore balance and a sense of well being to the wizarding community. You of course will not be allowed to participate but many of you will be allowed to help create tasks for the champions. That is all. Have a good night," Proffesor McGonagall said turning away from them and gathering her things to head most likely to the head office.

Hermione turned to see Harry and Ron's gaping faces.

"Bloody brilliant," Ron whispered, eyes wide.

"Which part? The part where you aren't allowed to play quidditch or the part where you aren't allowed to take part in the Tri-Wizard Tournament?" Hermione asked smiling pleasantly.

Ron almost glowered at her but Harry laughed.

"Well this certainly is going to be one heck of a year," Harry said as he gathered his stuff and stood up. Hermione smiled in turn and stood as well as Harry dragged Ron to his feet. "It is a shame that we can't play quidditch though," Harry said wistfully.

"Yah, I'm heartbroken," Hermione said as she started walking down the asile between the Gryffindor and Huffelpuff tables away from them and toward the stairs.

"Well that's right nice of- Hey! Mione! I actually believed you," Ron started angrily.

Hermione just laughed as they caught up to her. "We'd better get going I'm exhausted. What did you guys think of that new teacher?"

"She's odd isn't she," Ron said bluntly.

"At first I didn't know what she was doing here but I guess McGonagall knows what she's doing," Harry said in a sleepy voice.

Hermione nodded slowly, lost in thought.

As the neared the room of requirement they stopped in their tracks. A portrait had been put up over the entrance. Harry supposed that they should have guessed there would be a portrait. All of the Houses had portraits. Still they didn't seem to be the only ones stopped dead in their tracks. In fact there was a large half circle surrounding the portrait, the portrait of an old man with a long silver beard and half-moon glasses, smiling kindly at all the returning students.

"Dumbledore," Harry whispered, suddenly wide-awake.

Hermione nodded stepping forward and pressing through the crowd of people to get to the front. Standing stock still in front of the portrait was Draco Malfoy, staring at it as if he had been slapped. Dumbledore smiled at him and Malfoy ran as if his life depended on it. Pansy reached for him as he fled before chasing after him.

"Come on you lot, nothing to see here," Ron said pushing past all of them to the portrait and giving Dumbledore a sad smile before saying softly, "Unity."

The portrait swung open and reveled an archway behind it. "Welcome back," Dumbledore said genially as the students peeled their eyes away and began to walk into the common room. Harry was the last one still outside and he waited for the portrait hole to close before meeting the old headmasters eyes. He had talked to Dumbledore last year inside his head but could the portrait possibly remember that? Could the portrait remember anything? He wasn't sure at all how this kind of magic worked.

"Hello Harry," The image of Dumbledore said.

"Hello Professor," Harry said slowly.

"Oh please don't call me professor, I'm hardly your professor anymore Harry, much more of a distinct colleague," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.

Harry smiled in spite of himself and couldn't restrain from asking, "Um, do you possibly, I mean to say, do you- I mean do…"

"Do I remember, Harry?" Harry nodded at the ground. "I think I do. For all intents and purposes yes I think I do remember. I remember that I love liquorish wands, do not like Berty Botts Every Flavored Beans, have taught you for many years and last year spoke to you inside your head about my life and yours as a result. So yes I do remember," Dumbledore spoke in a distant voice as if he was really far away.

"Did you-, did you say anything to Malfoy?"

"No alas I did not. I wish that I had. He seemed quite terrified to see me here and I do not wish him to feel that I blame him or am in any way unhappy with him," Dumbledore told him, his tone filled with remorse. " I am in fact proud of his decision to come back here. He has made the right decision and is on the path of fixing his mistakes. Would you tell him that Harry? I don't think he would listen to me right now."

"Of course prof-, yes of course," Harry said smiling before turning and walking in the direction Malfoy had gone. He walked past a couple of open classrooms before finding one with a closed door. He reached for the doorknob and was about to turn it when he heard what sounded like muffled sobs from inside and his hand stopped as he listened.

"Draco, it's ok. You didn't kill him. You didn't want to. I'm sure he knew that. I sure he knows that. You had no choice," Pansy Parkinson said softly in a kind voice to Malfoy.

"It doesn't matter Pans. If I hadn't let those death eaters in, if I had just taken the offer for protection as soon as he offered it he could have gotten somewhere safe by the time they got up there," Malfoy seemed to choke on his words and his tone full of remorse.

"It's okay," Harry said stepping into the room.

Pansy glared furiously at him. "What do you think you're doing here Potter? What part do you think you have in any of this?" Pansy snapped at him angrily.

"I was up there that night," Harry said ignoring Pansy and looking right at Draco whose knuckles were white with the force of gripping the table in front of him. His head snapped up to look at Harry, not bothering to push his silky blond hair out of his eyes.

"Then you should hate me more than anyone," Draco muttered before turning away again.

"Parkinson, could you give us a moment," Harry said softly to Pansy and with a slight 'hmpf' she left with her nose in the air.

Harry let the door slam shut behind her before walking to stand in front of Draco with the desk he was leaning on between them.

"Were you really there?" Draco asked with a shuddering breath.

"Yah. I was under the invisibility cloak and instead of defending himself when you came up he sacrificed the time to cast petrificous totalas on me so that I couldn't do anything to stop what happened," Harry said softly, He had tried for so long not to think about that night in great detail, the look on Dumbledore's face, the way he flew into the air, and worst of all, the way his body lay broken and tangled on the ground.

"Then why are you here? To tell me how wrong I was? To tell me that I should have known better? To tell me that I deserve to look the man that I killed in the eye everyday?" Draco said his tone rising with every sentence, "That I'm death eater scum and no better than Fenrier Grayback? Well don't waste your breath! I already know all that and I don't need to hear it all again from you!"

"That wasn't what I was going to say. I was going to tell you that it's okay. Pansy is right. Dumbledore understands. He knows that you had no choice and he never held it against you, he just wants you to know that he forgives you and that it's okay," Harry said as kindly as he could.

"And how is that supposed to make me feel better! He accepts that I was going to try and-, try and-, He's wrong! I had a choice! He gave me a choice and I didn't have the brains or the heart to do the right thing, not even last year!" Draco's whole body shook and a tear dripped out of his eye, down his chin and splashed onto the desk by his hands.

"Last year I stayed at this school. I stayed in that room that were going to be living in and waited for the three of you. I was prepared to do whatever it took to stop you. My father's life was on the line again. I was going through with it. I was ready for anything, that's what I tried to convince myself but when Crabbe started trying to kill you guys I got scared. I couldn't see another person die because of me.

"That's when I decided that I hated Voldemort and I would put myself in his way if it would just allow you to win and for him to be destroyed. Then Crabbe died. I ran. I was so scared after you left us out there that my only thought was to stay alive long enough to find my parents and tell them that this was wrong. I even lied to the death eaters to do it. But I was still a coward I had still let other people die for me. It was still my fault that Dumbledore is- is-," Draco's body shook again and more tears dropped down to join the first.

"Draco I never-, I never thought that you felt like this," Harry finished softly.

"No. Who would ever imagine that the evil death eater can feel regret," Malfoy said sadly.

" You said before that i should hate you more than anyone and to be honest for a long time i was furious with you. i blamed you for more than half of what happened but after a while sense came back to me. It wasn't your fault. Snape was going to kill him whatever happened. He had to take an unbreakable vow. Dumbledore was- he was going to die before the year ended anyway. I don't think that I can tell you why but, he was dying already," Harry said softly.

"Even if that one death wasn't my fault do you really think that I didn't see those bodies? All of them- all on the floor. Tonks, Lupin, Fr- Fred Weasly-," Draco said as another chorus of sobs broke over. "Do you really expect me to believe that those aren't my fault? Do you expect me to believe that I didn't kill those people? I did. Or do you think that I'm to shallow to care that I killed all those people. Well I'm not. I know it was entirely my fault. I may not have held the wand but I killed them and you know it. I know you blame me for it."

"No. I don't. Any fool could see how disgusted you were with Grayback and the others. You didn't know what you were bringing into the school. You didn't want that. I know that you didn't want any of that," Harry said hearing the truth in his words.

"What about Granger? She was tortured in my house! By my- my-. I couldn't do anything to stop that. I tried, i didn't want to tell them that it was you. I didn't want anything like that to happen and it was one of the best moments of my life since i got the mark when all of you escaped. It was still my fault though," Malfoy said his shoulders hunched over as a couple more tears made tracks down his face.

"That most certainly wasn't your fault," Harry said, still repulsed by that memory.

"Well how am any better than Bellatrix? I didn't do anything to stop it. How could you possibly look at me and not see Bellatrix and all of the other evil that has come from my family," Draco said with disgust.

"Because you aren't your family. You aren't Bellatrix, Malfoy. She loved killing. It was what she lived for. She killed my godfather and so many other people that were close to me but i don't look at you and see her. I don't even see Lucius in you anymore. I used to see him when i looked at you but i was wrong. You are an entirely differant and better person than he ever was. You have the potential to change everything around for your family. You have already changed everything around for yourself. By rebuilding your life i'm sure you can make it ten times what it was," Harry said honestly.

Draco still wouldn't look at Harry. Harry was really starting to feel bad for Malfoy. He clearly regretted what he did and it was tearing him apart. "Malfoy, It's ok. You're making the right choices now. The past makes us who we are now. What we do in the past doesn't make us who we are, but what we learn from what we've done and what we do with the knowledge make us into who we are. You have learned a lot. Do you really think I would have had this conversation with the spoiled brat I met in first year?" Harry said almost grinning at the memory. He thought he saw the shadow of a smile on Malfoy's face too.

"No I guess not," Draco mused, "Thanks, for this. But I still don't think I could face him."

"It's okay. You make it sound like you are facing something terrible. You're a much better person then you where when I first met you and because of that you don't have to face him alone," Harry said smiling.

Draco looked up at him in surprise. He swallowed quickly before nodding and saying, "Alright, thanks Potter. But don't you even think of telling anyone about this, not even your girlfriend or Weasly or Granger."

"Deal," Harry said grinning broadly now, "I don't think they would believe me even if I did tell them."

Malfoy smiled too. He really smiled. "No they probably wouldn't."

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**Ok so i know this sounds like it's a bit like a Harry/Draco but i swear it isn't. Not this time at least. :) i do actually have a plan and that plan doesn't not involve them falling in love in like 2 seconds because that would be super boring and if you don't think that's boring you can go and read some fluffy fic where they fall in love in one chapter and then spen the next 99 chapters telling eachother "how much da wuv wuv wuv eachother" i am trying (and failing) to write quailty though. so please enjoy. i promise i will update as soon as i can. my schedule is insane! please review you really wouldn't believe how much more that makes me want to write more. well thanks for reading and review! :)**


	8. In Which Books Become Enemies

Hey guys! okay so this was actually a pretty speedy update! it wasn't really quick but then it would be total crap instead of mildly crap. I would like to thank me reviewers as usual **_actwritesing, scarlettcat, coffeeluvr333, blossomgirl94,_** and **_CoCoA-eyed-kitty118_**. Thank-you so much you guys! you make me super happy! :) Please read and review everybody!

ps. be proud of me. this is the longest chapter yet and i hope to keep them all about this length. it was about 10 pages. :)

pss. i know i forget disclaimers or not so just incase you've forgotten. cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye, i swear i don't own Harry Potter. I'll even virtually pinky promise. :)

psss. incase ur wondering which i know you are i did a few quizzes and i am 66% obsessed with Harry Potter which says that i am extremely obsessed and might possibly be having a panic attack now that the books are over. haha never! *twitch* also i took another quiz and that says i'm most like **fred and george** so any of you that know me should get a kick out of that, especailly a certain one of you. :0 :)

ok what are you doing still reading this? get on to the story and **don't forget to review! i know you all mean to. you just forget. :)**

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Hermione sat with Ron in two armchairs by the fireplace as she glared angrily at Pansy Parkinson from across the sparse common room. Professor McGonagall hadn't been lying when she had said that they hadn't put much of anything into the rooms. Hermione drummed her fingers on her leg as she toyed with the idea of wishing a boulder into existence right above Pansy's head. Normally Pansy wouldn't be able to get under Hermione's skin this much but now, facing the prospect of living with her for yet another year, Hermione was just considering how much easier it would be, for everyone, for the rest of the year if she could kill Pansy and make it look like an accident.

Just minutes ago Pansy had come storming into the room through the portrait hole, walked right up to Hermione and said, "I don't know who that Potter thinks he is but if he does anything to upset Draco more he's going to pay for it. Does he honestly think that he knows better than I do when it comes to Draco? Well he doesn't. He knows nothing! I have been by Draco my whole life and I know him better than any of you so if you bother him you are going to answer to me!"

It wasn't at all the words that offended Hermione or even the attitude. Without a doubt Hermione was sure that if the situation had been reversed and she in Pansy's position she would have said something close to the same. Hermione would have acted the same way and been just as angry as Pansy, which was what the problem really was. Hermione had the distinct feeling that Pansy and she would not get along very well at all. Their rivalry didn't go as deep as some but it was suffice to say that if put in the same room the fur would fly.

Pansy was in fact a skilled witch. She had gotten high marks in all of her classes save Divination and Care of Magical Creatures. Pansy had just never been held in high regard for her brains. For Pansy people had always thought of her in other ways. Despite her pug face many boys found her attractive and seemed to forget that she could hex them into the next century and back if she wanted. But Pansy had never been truly evil or a dark witch. Hermione even knew that Pansy had stayed behind to fight on the side of the Light in the final battle.

No, different sides in the war didn't feed their hatred. It wasn't even brains against beauty, it had really started in fourth year when Hermione went to the ball with Victor Krum. Hermione had been informed that Krum had been making out with Pansy for weeks so she just ignored him when he tried to flirt with her but when he asked her to the dance she had thought that meant it was over with Pansy and she agreed. Unfortunately though, when she left the ball, angry with Ron, Pansy had 'comforted' Krum in her own way. Again, it should have been over and Pansy had certainly thought it was but then Krum had found Hermione, told her everything, begged for forgiveness, and she had forgiven him. Then Hermione went a too far with him but even then she had known it wasn't a permanent thing. She had known from the beginning. Hermione just got so tired of being ignored by Ron that when Krum had told her she was beautiful, asked her to the dance, and whispered sweet nothings in her ear it had just felt so wonderful to be appreciated for more than her brain.

Hermione had kept in contact with Krum and they had become good friends over the years but Pansy never forgot what happened that year and neither did Hermione. Really, it was a silly thing to fight about. Hermione had just been so angry because Victor had been the first boy to really show any interest in her as a _girl _and Pansy had tried to take that away from her even though Pansy already had boys lined up and waiting. Now, Hermione figured, the rivalry was just lingering because of ill feelings built up over the years.

Being around Pansy again was not one of the things Hermione had been looking forward to in returning this year. Yes, she had assumed that Pansy would be back, she had helped the Light after all but that didn't mean that it made Hermione happy. This year was going to be interesting if not vaguely vicious and murderous. As if they needed this kind of bloodshed combined with that of the tournament. That thought again brought Hermione back to the boulder. Such an easy way to get rid of Parkinson…

Just then the portrait hole opened to reveal Harry and Draco. Draco gave Harry a curt nod before walking over to Pansy whose face was covered with worry. Harry meandered over to Hermione and Ron with a small smile as he plopped down in one of the few armchairs that the rest of them had magiced into existence around the fire.

"What the bloody hell was that about?" Ron asked bewilderedly as he looked from Draco to Harry and back again.

Harry shrugged and changed the subject saying, "Have you guys gone and looked at the dormitories yet?"

"Nah. We were waiting for you," Ron said all sourness evaporating.

"Let's go check'em out then," Harry said as he got to his feet. "I don't know about you lot but I'm exhausted."

Hermione and Ron nodded feebly and they bid one another goodnight as they disappeared behind the different doors marked for girls and boys rooms. Harry and Ron glanced around their considerably bare dorm room. It consisted of a wood floor, a door in the wall to get to the bathroom, a bunch of canopy beds with red comforters and hangings, glass windows, and wooden dressers. Harry walked down the short aisle between the rows of beds until He got to the two on the end where he dropped his trunk at the foot and Ron followed suit.

They got ready for bed quickly before sinking down into the sheets, too lazy to ask the room for anything except a nightstand for Harry to put his glasses on.

Hermione was awakened in the morning by loud and excited sequels emanating from the bathroom. Lavender and Parvati were jumping up and down in front of a full-length mirror as they tried on clothes. Hermione stood and went to the bathroom door to see that the bathroom had been transformed into what resembled a runway. Hermione snorted with laughter as she watched the girls prance around. This was going to be a long year.

Sally, Hermione's other roommate, walked up to Hermione and gave her a questioning look. Hermione just shrugged and walked back over to her bed. Sally followed and sat down at the foot of her own bed.

"So are you excited to be back?" Sally asked leaning back and closing her eyes.

"Yah," Hermione said absently. Hermione was just starting to go back to sleep when Sally sat up and almost screamed, "The Library! I'm sure it's opening right about now!" Sally smiled brightly as Hermione's eyes snapped open.

"You know, I think you're right," Hermione said more to herself than to Sally.

They stood and changed quickly before running out of the dormitories and almost running right into Padma who was exiting the Ravenclaw girl dormitories.

"Sorry Padma," Hermione said grinning as she looked at the now slightly confused but entirely more down to earth Patil sister.

"Were off to the library," Sally said as she grabbed Hermione's wrist and dragged her off again before Padma could even open her mouth.

Eventually their pace slowed and Sally dropped Hermione's arm as they walked toward the library. Hermione looked curiously at Sally. She had vague memories about the girl and she remembered distinctly that in first year when she had been upset with Ron and what he had said about her having no friends Sally had come and comforted her in the girl's bathroom for a while before the feast began and Hermione told her to go eat. Hermione had been sure that they were going to be good friends because she had felt a real connection with her. Then the troll had attacked and she had become friends with Harry and Ron. After that she just got so caught up in everything going on with them. It had just seemed like she didn't really have time for Sally with homework, exams, and saving the world on her plate and she had just sort of forgotten the girl.

"Come on," Sally gestured, now farther ahead. "It's open," She said before disappearing through the doors.

Hermione followed more slowly, wondering at the prospects of this year at Hogwarts. She turned to enter the library and was knocked to the ground by what appeared to be a giant stack of books with legs. The books along with the legs fell with her and she landed on the ground surrounded by books and next to a very irate looking Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy?" Hermione asked standing up. "What are you doing in the library?"

"What's it to you, Granger?" Draco said crossly as he stood up and cracked his back. "Well don't just stand there. You could at least help me with these books seeing as you knocked me over."

"What," Hermione asked, appalled, "You had a pile of books in front of your face!"

"Exactly. Therefore the fall was clearly not my fault because I couldn't see. You on the other hand could and were still incapable of moving yourself out of my bloody way," Draco said as he pulled out his wand and began to levitate the books into another pile in front of him.

"Well maybe if you had just levitated the books in the first place we wouldn't be in this mess because you would have been able to see too and other people wouldn't need to step out of the way for you," Hermione said tersely.

"Oh how well thought out. So you admit that if one is able to see they shouldn't be bumping into people?" Draco said smirking.

"Yes- I mean no… I mean… I was coming around that blasted corner to get into the library it would have happened whether or not we could see," Hermione said in a frustrated tone.

"Maybe, but now we will never know because I at least have no intention of experimenting with the many ways to run into people while walking to and from the library," Draco said as the last book flew up from the ground and onto the floating stack. "I must say though that I am appalled that you didn't assist me with the books. You owe me," Draco called over his shoulder, smirking again, as he walked down the hall way and around the corner.

Hermione glowered, stupid ferret. With a huff she turned and made to walk into the library for the second time but was stopped as she noticed a small book lying in the shadows, a book that Malfoy had missed. Hermione picked it up and read its title _Tales of Beadle the Bard._ Hermione stared at the book in shock. What could Malfoy possibly want with this book?

"I'll get that back to him," a deep and rich voice said from behind her. Hermione turned to see Blaise Zabini standing behind her smiling casually.

"um- yes, sure here," Hermione faltered as she handed him the book and he tucked it away inside his robes. Were all Slytherin's early risers?

"So, not even a day has passed and we find the bookworm back at the library," Blaise drawled grinning.

"I could say the same for you," Hermione said as she made to walk away from him, entering the library at last and taking a deep breath of the scent of the familiar books and the new.

"Yes, I suppose you could. It wouldn't have quite the same effect though you see because my reputation for reading is far less publicized although it equally dominates my time," Blaise said following her.

"Well, I suppose it is such only because you don't want to be widely known as the bookworm of Slytherin. Who knows, rumors could spread. What would your famously beautiful mother say if she found out that the beauty you inherited from her was being wasted while you spent all your time reading books," Hermione said as she browsed through the titles of the books in the 'new books' aisle.

"Oh so you think I'm good looking," Blaise said smirking, more of a statement than a question.

"I didn't say that," Hermione said blushing as she tried fervently to ignore him.

"You didn't have to. Books aren't the only thing I'm good at reading," Blaise said smiling in that carefree way of his as he pulled a book off the shelf and handed it to her. "This one's really good."

"_Hermione Granger: The History of Hermione's Love Interests_. You must be joking," Hermione said turning to face him at last.

"Yes I am. Horrible writing. The author doesn't seem to know you at all. Poor Rita Skeeter is losing her touch. But it finally got your attention didn't it," Blaise said smirking.

"Did you say Rita Skeeter?" Hermione asked, once again lost in thought as she opened to the title page and read the name in shiny green ink.

"Yes, why? Have a special grudge against her or was this book the result of an interview gone awry?" Blaise asked as he leaned against the bookshelf.

"The first one," Hermione muttered as she skimmed the index. "How can she have found out about that? If she knew why didn't she put it in that stupid article of hers," Hermione said to herself as her voice rose angrily.

"What? What did she do?" Blaise inquired, curiosity taking over as he tried to lean toward the book to see what she was looking at.

"That stupid hag," Hermione almost shouted as she turned to the page listed in the index and skimmed the first paragraph. Hermione dropped the book as if it had burned her.

Blaise got a quick look at the title of the chapter reading _How Hermione Granger Stole Pansy Parkinson's True Love _before Madam Pince grabbed the book off the floor and glowered at them.

"You! Get out!" Madam Pince said pointing a long gnarled finger at Hermione who cringed. Madam Pince turned away and replaced the book on the shelf as she left the aisle, sending one last glare back over her shoulder at Hermione.

"Check out that book," Hermione said turning franticly to Blaise, eyes wide. "Check out that book and bring it to me. Don't you dare read a single word of it," Hermione said anxiously, panic showing all over her face.

"Why should I? All you've done is ignore me and say I'm unattractive," Blaise said as he pouted and made as if to walk away.

"Zabini!" Hermione hissed. When he didn't stop she reached out a hand and grabbed his arm, pulling him back towards her. "What do you want? I'll do anything," Hermione said desperately.

"Anything, huh?" Blaise said smirking. "I feel that in future you should remember that it is not in your best interests to say 'I will do anything' to a guys because most guys will hold you to it especially most Slytherins. Lucky for you I am not a psycho and all that I request is that you boost my very low self-esteem and tell me that I am attractive."

"That's all is it?" Hermione whispered furiously. "You liar. You don't have low self-esteem! You have an ego the size of this school!"

"Well actually I think that what you said a few minutes ago is really affecting me. I'm just so worthless and ugly," Blaise said dropping his head to look at his feet before flashing her a charming smile. Hermione refused to cave and Blaise smirked. "Is that Madam Pince I hear coming back? I think it is," Blaise whispered.

Hermione glared at him but slowly said, gritting her teeth, "Blaise your kind of attractive."

"Just kind of? Maybe I should just call Madam Pince over just to see what her opinion is about how attractive I am." Blaise said as he cupped his hands around his mouth preparing to shout. Hermione grabbed his arms and wrenched them away from his mouth glaring at him.

"Blaise you are attractive," Hermione said in a rush as if taking medicine, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Now that wasn't so hard now was it," Blaise crooned and he allowed himself a self-satisfied smirk.

Hermione's only response was to glare at him and drop his wrists as if they had burned her. "Just don't read a word of that book and don't let anyone else touch, read, or even see it," Hermione said angrily before she turned on her heel and ran out of the library.

Blaise smiled and went over to the shelf and pulled the book down only to notice the same book sitting next to it. There were two copies. Blaise picked up the second one as well grinning from ear to ear. Technically, Baise thought as he walked over to the checkout desk, it was a different book so reading it wouldn't really be going back on what he said.

Hermione hurtled around another turn and only slowed her pace once she was far away from the library and Blaise Zabini. She only felt slightly guilty when she remembered that she had left Sally in there. After all Sally had left Hermione alone with those Slytherin boys and it wasn't as if she had really chosen to leave the library. Madam Pince had ordered her out.

Hermione's stomach growled loudly, reminding Hermione that she had not yet had breakfast. Hermione made a quick turn ducked behind a tapestry and emerged behind another tapestry a few feet from the Entrance Hall. She turned and walked through the doors, hurrying up the aisle between the tables to find her seat next to Harry and Ron.

"Hey Mione," Ron said his mouth full of food. Hermione nodded wearily at them both as she took a seat next to Harry.

"Hey where were you? Parvati said you left bright and early with Sally. I guessed the library but Ron reckons you went and woke up the teachers so you could get a head start on homework for the coming year," Harry said grinning.

"The library, but I got kicked out," Hermione said as she piled pancakes and fruit onto her plate.

"Oh no. You weren't saying bad things about Filch again were you?" Harry asked smiling widely.

"No I most certainly was not. I dropped one of her precious books and I think she was worried that I was going to spill Zabini's blood all over the shelves and everything. I almost wish I had," Hermione said, still fuming.

"What did he do to deserve such punishment," Harry asked smiling.

Blaise had never really struck a good or bad tone with the golden trio for the first four years of their education but during the time spent in Slughorn's parties and all of the time they were shut up together in little rooms with very few people to talk to Harry and Hermione had formed a sort of alliance with him. They had talked first about how much they hated the parties and after while it escalated to good quiditch moves and favorite books. They had not become good friends but they talked occasionally and although they teased each other Hermione knew he would never even dream of calling her a mudblood. They probably had all gotten as close as Slytherins and Gryffindors were socially allowed to or closer.

"Oh it wasn't that he did anything significantly bad, he just wouldn't leave me alone to think. I certainly had enough to think about," Hermione said quietly.

"Yah like what? Your task for the tournament? Or what you'd like to help with for it?" Harry asked curiously.

"Um- yah, I have no idea yet, have you?" Hermione asked. She didn't want to tell him about Draco and the book. Malfoy had seemed like he really wanted to turn over a new leaf, snarkiness or not, and Harry had seemed to get along with him alright when they had come back from wherever they were before. No, she wouldn't tell him about it unless she was sure something was wrong and that he needed to know. What if he started obsessing about Malfoy again like he had in 6th year?

"Nah, I don't know. I'm not even sure if I want to set a task. Maybe I'll help with something on the side or I'll set up someone else's task," Harry said lost in thought.

"Yah I'm not sure either. I mean it would be cool to design a task but maybe it would be better or more helpful to just help build it, like I bet they needed a lot of help building the maze. You've had first hand experience so you probably know exactly what the tasks should be like," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Yah but you lot do too. You and Ron helped me with every task and you were even taken hostage by the grindylows," Harry pointed out.

Hermione nodded slowly, thinking.

A clinking sound from the head table interrupted their thoughts and they looked up to see Professor McGonagall standing, waiting for silence.

"Now that everyone is here I would like to inform you all that we have decided that instead of going straight from task to task quickly we are going to spread them out through the year. The students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons will be staying here all year. They will be taking some classes from our teachers you will be taking some from theirs. I have just been informed that they will be arriving momentarily. We would like as little stress as possible so if you could all help us get everyone situated and comfortable we would appreciate it. Things will be much easier if we can do everything now rather than having to get it all ready once all of the students arrive and we need to start classes. Kingsley will be coming on the first day of term to make the announcement to the rest of the students. We would like all of you to behave like mature adults and set a good example," Professor McGonagall, said calmly, ignoring the buzzing that grew in the hall as she sat down and resumed the conversation she had been having with Professor Sprout.

"Blimey, momentarily," Ron said staring vacantly at his food, to shocked to feel hungry.

Hermione nodded slowly before turning to Harry, "You don't reckon Rita Skeeter is coming then too do you?"

"She might be," Harry said with wide eyes. "I feel sorry for the champions." He let out a soft laugh but sobered as he remembered his own interactions with the terrible lady. She inspired a fear in him that Voldemort never could.

"You don't think she'll be bothering us do you? I mean everything has pretty much calmed down since last year. She'll have the champions to deal with…" Ron said slowly. For all that he was trying to act worried he seemed excited at the prospect of being interviewed.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Trust me Ronald. She is not someone you want to ever need to talk to."

Hermione took a last bite of her pancakes before standing up and turning to Harry and Ron. "Fancy a walk around the lake? One last peaceful walk before this place is turned inside out by Durmstrang and Beauxbatons?"

"Sure." Harry said standing as well. Ron was only able to nod as he shoved as much food done his throat as possible, his appetite apparently returned with the prospect of having to leave the food behind.

"Honestly, just grab a bread roll and come on," Hermione said laughing.

Ron's eyes widened. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"

Harry laughed and Hermione rolled her eyes to the ceiling as Ron grabbed three bread rolls and stood to follow them.

The three made their way outside and went to stand underneath their favorite tree. Hermione closed her eyes and lay back on the grass breathing in the air coming of the lake.

"Uh oh. Looks like Durmstrang is here," Harry said and Hermione just yawned and turned away from them, facing into the sun.

"Yah their boat seems to have gotten here a few minutes ago. Their just coming off it now," Ron said as he too lay back on the grass.

"I suppose this would be a lot more interesting if it weren't the second time we were seeing it," Harry said "Wait, no way! It just can't be him! Ron take a look at this," Harry said shaking Ron's shoulder until he sat up.

"What? What's goin' on? Oh…" Ron said following Harry's gaze.

"Hermione…" Ron said as he started to shake her shoulder.

"Leave me alone Ron. I just want to sleep," Hermione said letting out another yawn as she batted his hand away.

"No, Hermione really…" Ron said urgently as he shook her arm harder.

"Look Ronald, I don't care if it's Voldemort back from the dead again. If you don't leave me alone, so help me, I will castrate you," Hermione growled angrily.

"Herm-own-ninny?"

Hermione's eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright, bushy hair swinging into her face. "Victor!"

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Ok so slightly cliff hangerish. i hope to update soon so i wont leave you hanging that long. :) oh and if anyone cares. Sally is actually a real character in the books. it never says which house she is in but she is a real character and her full name is Sally-Anne Perks. :)

REVIEW! :)


	9. In Which There Are Sticky Situations

Hi all! So i had a hard time with this chapter but i think that over all it turned out okay. I hope you like it and please review! as always thank you to my wonderful reviewers **coffeeluvr333, blossomgirl94, actwritesing, Isabella120**, and **scarlettcat**! :) They are awesome and you should all be like them.

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Hermione stared in shock at the Bulgarian before her. It seemed as if Krum had grown even taller since she had last seen him but perhaps it was just her perspective from sitting on the ground. Hermione shook her head and stood up quickly, trying to piece together the situation.

"Victor what are you doing here?" Hermione asked putting a hand to her head so she could massage her temple. Krum looked taken aback and a bit crestfallen at her question. Hermione blinked before shaking her head again more forcefully as she tried in vain to organize her thoughts.

"No! No, I mean I'm glad to see you! I just didn't think you were going to be here! I never expected-, I mean you didn't say-, I just didn't know…" Hermione finished lamely. She felt extremely foolish which was a feeling that Hermione Granger hated more than any other, well except for feeling helpless, which was thousands of times worse.

"I vanted to surprise you, Hermy-own-ninny," Krum said smiling sheepishly but looking very pleased with himself.

"But you could have said something! All of you letters and you never even put that you had gotten a job at Durmstrang. I figured you were still getting ready for the next Qudditch season because the World Cup is over!" Hermione lectured, torn between frowning at him for keeping her in the dark and laughing at his slightly embarrassed grin.

"I know. I thought it vould be better this way. You might have suspected if you had but known that I taught there. I just got the position earlier these year," Krum said, his smile becoming smugger.

"Wow! Well that's really something! What do you teach?" Hermione asked. Her mind was already going through all of the pros and cons of every position. What if he taught a class she was in? She bit her lip. Being anxious to answer questions in class was very different when the teacher was someone you had gone on a date with.

"I am teaching Potions. I do not think I vill be teaching your year though. I vill be teaching the third years. Your Headmistress vants to divide up the classes." Krum said shrugging his massive shoulders.

Hermione almost breathed a sigh of relief but restrained it, smiling. "Well that's very nice! I knew that you were very talented in Potions Class but you never told me that you wanted a career in it."

Hermione was distinctly aware that Harry and Ron were backing away slowly from her. But before she could do anything about it they had broke into a run back toward the castle. She made a mental note to curse them later. How could they just leave her like that? They didn't even have a reason to!

"Vell my friend decided to work there after the final var against he-who-must-not-be-named and he grew very attached to the school. Vhen the headmaster died last year he was given the job and decided he needed someone to fill his old potions position. He asked me and at first I thought I vould refuse but I decided that I did not vant to spend my whole life playing quidditch. I took the job." Krum shrugged again as if it wasn't complicated but he still looked very pleased.

Hermione couldn't help herself from grinning. It was amazing! He was here! It was really only now sinking in that he was there and that he was going to stay the whole year.

"That's wonderful Victor! I'm so happy for you!" Hermione enthused, beaming. "Come on. I'm sure you're starving." Before Krum could object if he wanted to Hermione grabbed his hand and started dragging him up toward the school.

Krum made an attempt to dig his heels into the ground to prevent motion and but the intensity with which Hermione was pulling him forward pulled him still toward the castle and as a result he toppled forward onto the grass. He caught himself at the last second in a position that resembled a frozen push-up.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked as she squatted next to him. Krum nodded as he pushed off the ground into a standing position. Hermione stood as well and sent him and inquisitorial look.

"I cannot go up vith you. I must see to my students. Ve vill be eating on our ship and coming inside for dinner tonight." Krum told Hermione shortly. Hermione nodded and gave him a quick hug before pulling back.

"It's been lovely seeing you again. I can't believe your going to be here all year!" Hermione waved one last time back at him before she took off toward the castle.

She raced up the staircases and rushed into the dormitories for the graduate students looking around for a Harry or Ron. She scanned the room a few times before she finally admitted to herself that they weren't there. They were probably flying, getting the best of the time they could before the pitch became booked everyday.

Hermione sighed and collapsed into the closest armchair. What to do now? For once Hermione was not inclined to start one of her books. She felt too fidgety to be able to focus on a book. She really did need to go for a walk or something.

Hermione sat up abruptly. Hagrid, she could go see Hagrid. Hermione couldn't see how she hadn't thought of it before. Harry was the one that really had a special connection with Hagrid but over time they had all formed a very close bond with their half-giant friend.

Hermione stood swiftly and started back out the portrait hole. She moved slower now. She had a goal in mind now and wasn't just blindly running to burn energy.

Hermione's mind drifted back to the book she had found Draco carrying. There was always a chance that he hadn't actually been carrying it but that it had gotten them there some other way. Hermione almost laughed at the thought of Madam Pince losing one of her precious books. But no, Blaise had seemed to think that it was Draco's book as well, hmmm. What did Blaise know? Well she would have an opportunity to ask him when he gave her that stupid book by Rita Skeeter.

Hermione frowned angrily as she walked. She really hated that Skeeter woman. Hermione stepped out the big doors and onto the grounds. She couldn't help her reflexive glance at the ship sitting calmly in the middle of the lake.

Hermione hastened her pace as she walked down to Hagrids cabin. She banged loudly on the door, wondering for the first time if she should have waited for the others. Harry and Ron would have wanted to see Hagrid as well. Hagrid opened the door at that moment and smiled widely down at Hemrione.

"'ello Hermione." Hagrid said as he moved to the side to allow her access into his house.

"Hi Hagrid. I think Harry and Ron are out flying but I figured I could stop by. If that's alright with you I mean," Hermione added hastily. Hagrid just nodded as he busied himself with going through drawers and cabinets.

Hermione beamed and stepped inside, glancing around. The house had pretty much been returned to how it had been before the battles. She sat down in a chair at his large table as she watched him busy himself

"I'm sorry Hermione but I don' seem ta have too much time today. That new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher wants me help." Hagrid said grinning. "She wants me to show her around the forest. She wants to see if there are any creatures in there that she could teach the class to defend against."

Hermione was slightly taken aback but recovered quickly. It would be very nice to have hands on lessons. It would be a bit like Professor Lupin's classes had been but more advanced.

Hermione bit her lip, weighing her options. She could go back to the dorms and read one of her books while waiting for Zabini to show up or she could ask if she could go along with Professors Hagrid and Evesdal to keep herself busy and learn more about the new teacher. The latter won hands down.

"Hagrid, could I maybe come with you? I haven't got much to do and I'm sure I would be quite capable of taking care of myself." Hermione asked tentatively.

Hagrid seemed to ponder it for a second before waving a large hand and shrugging. "Well I don' see why not. You'll have to ask Professor Evesdal though won't ye. If she says yes o'course ye can come."

Hermione smiled and stood to follow him as he picked up his crows bow with the last of the things he might need.

"I thought you might not need that anymore." Hermione said gesturing at the crossbow, puzzled.

"Well you can't be to careful, can you?" Hagrid said shrugging casually but his haunted eyes reveled more than he was saying. The forest had turned in on itself. The damage from last year was yet to be healed.

Hermione nodded slowly as the headed toward the forest edge to meet Evesdal. Hermione saw her as they drew closer and her eyes narrowed, not with suspicion but with the same look that she got when she opened a thousand piece puzzle.

"Hello Professor Evesdal." Hermione said smiling politely. The teacher laughed softly, smiling at Hermione.

"Please call me Laura. Professor Evesdal makes me feel old." The teacher said sweetly before laughing quietly as if to some private joke. Hermione's brow creased but she recovered quickly.

"I was wondering if I might be able to accompany you and Hagrid into the forest. I might be able to help and I wouldn't be a bother." Hermione said smiling warmly up at the teacher. For some reason that Hermione couldn't put her finger on Laura unsettled her. She was very friendly and put on a very good display of openness which seemed to scream to Hermione that she was hiding something. It made no sense.

"Oh," Laura's face fell. "I'm very sorry Hermione but you can't. I want to surprise you all and I know that you're probably already done with your textbooks so this is the last surprise I've got. You understand don't you?"

Hermione nodded sadly. There was nothing she could say. She had already finished her textbooks. "Thanks anyways Professor. See you later Hagrid," Hermione said calmly backing away before turning to walk back to the castle. Darn it, her last hope. All that was left to do know was possibly go for a walk inside the castle. There were still some places in the castle that Hermione hadn't seen.

Hermione's face crinkled with excitement and vague worry. What if she got lost? Well no matter. Everyone had learned how to make a patroness and she knew how to send hers off to do things.

That settled it. She would go exploring the secret parts of the castle. Harry never let her borrow the map so the only knowledge she had of the secret passages were those that she could remember. Hermione thought about how she could use them now. No, not now, she had to figure them out first.

Hermione opened the doors to the castle and started off in the direction of a hole she remembered behind a portrait of an old witch with a comb over. Hermione pushed the painting aside, ignoring the old lady as she swore angrily at Hermione. She stepped into the passage and looked around.

The corridor resembled the hall on the other side of the painting aside from a lack of portraits and the fact that is was narrower. Three doors opened off in front of her and between two of them a staircase wound upward. It was drafty in the passage, hmmm, more drafty than the rest of the school. That must mean that one of these doors led outside.

Hermione went to the nearest door and pulled it open. It revealed a broom cupboard. Well that's a waste of a secret room, Hermione thought. She turned to the next door and found the same thing. When she opened the third door and found yet another broom cupboard she became suspicious. Stepping into the room Hermione could she nothing peculiar. It looked like an ordinary broom cupboard.

She closed the door behind her slowly and the light from the hallway vanished. Bolts of light shot out from the opposite wall, blinding a startled Hermione. Of course, Hermione mused, she wouldn't have been able to see the lights because while the door was open the cupboard was as bright as the other room.

The other room, what was on the other side of the wall? Hermione leaned forward and looked through one of the tiny peepholes. It showed her the empty Transfiguration classroom. Hermione was amazed. This was amazing! How many rooms are connected like this? I wonder if the bathrooms have peepholes in them like this. Hermione's eyes widened at the thought before she blushed madly.

She pulled back from the peephole and opened the door. Hermione moved back to the first door she had tried and opened it to reveal peepholes into the muggle studies classroom. Hermione backed away grinning. Harry had never mentioned these. Maybe he hadn't even known. Hermione opened the other door, which showed the new teacher's office. Hermione backed away quickly and closed the door firmly behind her.

She hesitated for a second before taking the stairs two at a time to the next set of doors. Hermione opened all of the doors she passed and by the time she reached the door at the top of the stairs she had found holes into four classrooms, a few teacher's offices, the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff common room, and a very embarrassing view of the girls fifth floor bathroom. Hermione made a mental note never to use that bathroom again, just incase anyone else knew about these passages.

Hermione flung open the top door and found the source of the draft she had been feeling. This door led out onto the top of one of the towers. There was a small balcony, a stone bench, and a wonderful view. Hermione closed the door behind her and walked over to lean against the balcony. She glanced down at the Durmstrang ship before quickly looking away. Hermione grimaced before sitting down on the stone bench. She leaned her head back against the wall of the tower. Hermione wished she had brought a book to distract herself.

Hermione looked out over the grounds and almost died of shock. She had been exploring far longer than she had thought. The sun had already set and judging by the gathering darkness it was already around 9:30. Curfew was at ten. Hermione stood up in a hurry and started to race down the stairs. Hermione wasn't sure whether or not she should be worried. It seemed silly to be worried about her curfew when she was of age but McGonagall hadn't said that curfew would be stopped.

Hermione almost ran head long into a wall and grudgingly slowed down. She wished fervently that she had the invisibility cloak with her. Hermione tried to move forward but her left foot refused to move forward with her right. Hermione pulled again before looking back with dawning dread. Her leg was buried in the step up to her knee. Hermione tried in vain to pull her leg free before grudgingly moving to sit on the step above in a more comfortable position. Hermione pulled her wand calmly out of her pocket and conjured her patroness.

"Find Harry and Ron and if you can't, find help. Bring them back here okay?"

Hermione's silver otter nodded its head before flipping in the air and diving through the wall to her left as if it were water. Hermione wished for the second time that night that she had brought a book.

Hermione leaned her head back against the sharp edge of one of the stairs but quickly moved it; the stair was even more uncomfortable. Hermione guessed that ten minutes had passed and she still had heard nothing. What if Harry and Ron didn't care about curfew and were still flying around? What if her patroness failed because she wasn't close enough?

Hermione shook her head. Now she was just being silly. All she had to do was wait. Hermione's stomach growled loudly. This was going to be more difficult than she thought. Fifteen more minutes passed and Hermione gave up hope. Something must have gone wrong. Hermione buried her head in her hands.

A chuckle emanated from the stairs below her. Yes something had gone wrong, but it was far worse than she had imagined. Hermione groaned as she dropped her head into her hands.

"Blaise." Hermione moaned.

"I thought that you moaning my name would be good but really I have to say that was a disappointment," Zabini said grinning as he walked up towards her. Shadows from the hall clung to him as he made his way towards her.

"I sent my patroness to Harry and Ron."

"No you sent it to anyone that could help. I've been here before so I know how to get in here, while Potter and Weasel probably do not." Blaise gave her a very knowing smirk and Hermione blushed as she remembered the peephole into the girls' bathroom.

"Well… fine," Hermione grumbled. She couldn't tell Zabini about the maraurders map. No matter how much she hated to lose an argument or accept help from Blaise she had no choice. God, twice in one day though? Hermione shook her head sadly.

"So how are you feeling?" Blaise asked coming to sit on the step above her to avoid getting his own feet stuck.

"I would be feeling a lot better if you got me out of here as soon as possible."

"You aren't having fun? I was sure that you got yourself stuck in there just so that you could have me come and rescue you." Blaise smirked as she glared at him.

"No. You are not my type Zabini."

"What is your type then?" Blaise leaned in closer, breathing into her ear. Hermione flinched away with wide eyes before glaring at him.

"Just because I can't move doesn't mean that I can't hex you." Hermione hissed.

"Ah but would you really hex your hero, your savior, your granter-of-freedom?"

"It depends on what that granter-of-freedom does to get on my nerves." Hermione growled staring at him with narrowed eyes.

"Okay Hermione, breath." Blaise put his hands up in defeat before winking at her and whispering, "I like you when you're feisty."

Hermione lunged at him, the desire to kill burning in her eyes but he jumped back and the step hauled her down to the ground, her reaching hand a foot from him. Blaise laughed before quieting down. He would have to help her out of there eventually so best not to make her too mad.

"Can you help me out of her now so I can rip your face off?" Hermione said through clenched teeth.

"No I'm sorry to say but I actually like my face in one piece." Blaise beamed down at her but decided not to move any closer. He wished to walk out of this without any serious injuries.

"Fine." Hermione grumbled.

"Fine." Blaise imitated.

Hermione glared at him before her eyes widened and narrowed again. "Can I have the book I asked you to check out?"

"Sure." Blaise reached into the school bag he had brought with him and pulled out Rita Skeeters book. He handed it to Hermione who looked at him suspiciously.

"You didn't read it?"

"Not really." Blaise grinned.

Hermione glared, extremely suspicious and opened her mouth to say something before she decided that she really didn't want to know if he had read the book. She picked it up and chucked it into her own bag angrily.

"So how did you end up stuck?" Blaise asked casually as he pulled an apple out of his bag and took a bite. Hermione was momentarily distracted as her stomach growled again and she remembered how hungry she was.

"Do you have another one of those?" Hermione asked as she gave into her hunger.

Blaise smirked. "Wi wi mademoiselle."

Hermione glared at him but Zabini ignored the glare and tossed her another apple from his bag. It was green. Hermione scowled at the Slytherin fruit for a second until her stomach rumbled again and she took a bite.

"So how did you end up stuck?" Blaise asked again.

Hermione blushed and looked down at her knees. "I was worried that I would be late for curfew and I was running down the steps. When I went up I was kind of jumping ahead a few steps so I wasn't really stepping on all of the stairs so…" Hermione trailed off lamely. Now with someone else in the tunnel with her the thought of being late for curfew seemed absurd.

"Do we have a curfew?" Blaise asked curiously.

"I'm not sure but I really am beginning to doubt it," Hermione admitted sadly.

"Ah well. I at least am glad that you are such a devout follower of the rules. We wouldn't get any of this lovely one on one time if you weren't." Blaise said grinning.

"Yeah lovely…" Hermione muttered angrily.

"Aww. Come now. You don't need to pretend to be unhappy that I'm the one that came to rescue you. It's just us. You don't need to hide your feelings anymore, Mione." Blaise teased with a devilish grin.

"That's great Blaise. Make me angrier."

"Maybe it's not the best course of action but you are still depending on me so even though you might not approve of my tactics I'm confident. The brave hero always wins the damsel in distress."

"I'm not in distress." Hermione grumbled.

Blaise laughed loudly. "Oh you're not? I guess I was wrong then. I'll be going now." Blaise stood to leave, smirking at Hermione.

"Fine, fine!" Hermione shouted.

"But you're not in distress and you don't want my help. I'm sure you're better off without me." Blaise said grinning from ear to ear.

"Yes I would be better off without you." Hermione muttered as she tried to stand again with much difficulty.

"You see! I'm so underappreciated. I think I'm just going to go cry myself to sleep now." Blaise said trying in vain to fix a sad expression on his face.

"I'm in distress and I need help. Happy?" Hermione said through gritted teeth.

"I'll go get Draco to help you out then. You don't want my help."

Hermione's eyes widened in horror and she shook her head.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure! I want… I want you to help me." Hermione said as she glared at the blasted step. She was resolved to in future blame it for all of her problems.

"I'm flattered but I don't really believe you."

"Blaise, I really want your help, again." Hermione said fervently glad that this passageway was private. She was sure that she would have died of embarrassment otherwise.

Suddenly Blaise was much closer. "Aww Mione that's so sweet of course I'll help you." Blaise said grinning. Hermione leaned back until she felt she was about to fall over, he was far too close.

Blaise reached under her arms and pulled her up out of the step, placing her lightly on the one above it.

"See, no harm no foul." Blaise whispered as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Hermione didn't have time to ponder how he could have seen it in the darkness because at that moment Blaise leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. Hermione's eyes widened before fluttering closed. Blaise pulled away but Hermione kept her eyes closed, unsure of what her reaction was to this. Finally Hermione opened her eyes and found the stairwell deserted.

She sighed deeply. Well she certainly had a lot to think about now. Hermione hoped over the trick step before walking slowly down the rest of the passage and out into the entrance hall. A flash of black robes heading up the stairs towards the room of requirement caught her attention and she followed them slowly, still in a daze. Today had defiantly been a strange day. How was she supposed to react to that? Had it been a joke? Was he just continuing his fake flirting? Had the flirting been real? Had he not intended to kiss her? Had she scared him off by not kissing him back?

Hermione shook her head angrily. This was too much to think about tonight. She would have to think about it on a clear head in the morning. A grin played slowly across Hermione's face before she reined it in and entered the common room.

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Okay so i know at least one of you that will lecture me on my none dramione theme of the moment but it will happen eventually and i'm planning for a very long story so have faith besides blaise is awesome so in the meantime you should be glad. at least i didn't pair her with goyle! :P lol or a disgusting slytherian that should be dead! really u guys have it pretty good! lol thank you for reading and please please please review! i really need your support! :)


	10. Decisions Are Made

PLEASE DONT HATE ME!!!! im not going to make excuses and for those of u whos stories i stilll hvnt read or reviewed in like 6 months im really really really really really really really sorry. im going to get on it as soon as i can. which might b.... idk. no promises this time around. im very sorry though. umm please read and review :) this isnt quite as quality as i wuld have liked but im sick of looking at it so here goes. :)

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Hermione woke in a foul mood. She was angry with herself for getting stuck on that stupid step, angry with Rita Skeeter for writing that stupid book, angry at Harry and Ron for being stupid and not coming to help her, angry at the stupid founders for making that stupid trick step, angry at stupid Blaise for putting her in the stupid position she now found herself in and most of all angry at the stupid person who thought up the word 'stupid' that completely summed up the stupid day she had yesterday.

Hermione sat up in bed, remembered the day before and promptly fell back on her bed and covered her head with her pillow. What was she going to tell Victor? What was she going to tell Blaise? What was she going to tell Harry and Ron?

She found herself extremely glad that she didn't have any classes today. She could just lie in her bed and avoid everyone. She could lie there for a little under two weeks. Even as she thought it though she knew it wasn't logical. Hermione didn't have nearly enough books in reaching distance for 2 weeks and people might decide they needed to check on her if books started flying to her from the library, never mind the necessity food.

With a resigned sigh and absolutely no plan Hermione pulled herself from her bed and walked toward the girls bathroom. She took a quick shower and came back to her room with a robe on and a towel wrapped around her already bushy hair. She changed and took her hair out of the towel, quickly pulling it back and out of her face with many hair ties before it had any time to decide on its own course of action.

Hermione sat back down on her bed. The hot water of a shower usually helped her think but she hadn't been able to decide on anything. She scratched at the nail polish that Ginny had flawlessly applied before Hermione left the burrow and started to peel it off as she thought. All that she could really do was find out what situation she was in. Blaise might not even want to date her. It could have been a joke or a one-time thing. She wasn't pretty and Blaise had always dated the prettiest girls at Hogwarts. Plus there was Krum. They weren't really going out at all. They had definitely both been single. She had gone out with Ron after all. But that had been when they never saw each other. Hermione was resolved to find all of this out before she made any decisions and if either of them said that they _did_ want to be with her than she would just tell them that she needed a little time to think.

With that resolved Hermione slowly made her way down the stairs and out into the common room. Blaise was sitting in a chair and his head shot-up when he saw her. An easy grin made its way across his face and he strolled over to her. Seeing the conflicted expression on her face his expression became serious.

"So?" Blaise looked at her tentatively.

"What?" Hermione asked imploringly. Was this his way of asking her out or asking her to forget all about it?

Blaise's face hardened with determination. "Hermione, I want to go out with you. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Hermione's eyes widened and she took a small step back. She took a deep breath as she tried to center herself, all thoughts of her plan to learn everything gone. She had thought of it as a possibility but she hadn't really prepared herself for it.

"Yes. I will," Hermione said softly as a slow smile started to form across his face. She smiled softly back and his smile broke into a full grin as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a hug. Hermione gasped as he lifted her into the air. He had very strong arms, muscular too. Hermione grinned.

Blaise gently set her back down on solid ground, still beaming. Hermione smiled at him but took a step backwards. "Blaise, you should know, I want to go slow," Hermione said softly but firmly. She was _not _going to make the same mistake with Blaise as she had with Victor. Blaise shrugged and nodded, nothing could kill his mood.

"Blaise, I mean _really_ slow, like _glacial _slow," Hermione tried to explain. She wasn't sure he really understood what she meant. According to Lavender, who was in the realm of boy-knowledge a very competent and reliable source, Blaise understood 'slow' to mean full making out by the end of the first date. It wasn't that she didn't mind kissing him. She already sort of had. Hermione just didn't want to mess anything up.

"I guess I can deal with that. I've waited years for you Hermione. I can wait a bit longer now that I have you," Blaise said with a disarming smile. Hermione tried to focus on keeping her breathing normal. In. Out. In. Out.

"Years?" Hermione asked as she tried to swallow a lump in her throat.

"Years," Blaise confirmed. He read the question in her eyes and responded before she could open her mouth. "Since the middle of 5th year, maybe the beginning if I'm honest with myself. Although, the Yule Ball in 4th year, wow." Hermione blushed.

"But-But you dated other people. You went out with _loads _of other people!" Hermione said with wide eyes.

Blaise shrugged. "I was in denial for a long time and when Pansy got suspicious she made her suspicions known. Then 7th year you weren't here and I was worried out of my mind." Blaise laughed lightly. "It was weird for me. I thought that it would be easier, ya know, not having to see you everyday, but it was _murder_. Especially after we became decently good friends in the 'Slug Club'."

Hermione shook her head in amazement. "I never knew. I had no idea," Hermione muttered softly. Blaise grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"You don't really pick up well in the emotions department. Some of that I'm glad for. You might have found someone-, I mean, if it hadn't been for how ignorant you were of my feelings during 6th year I think I would have done something really stupid," Blaise said smiling with relief that she hadn't noticed what he'd almost said. Everything would be a lot less complicated if she just never knew.

Hermione slapped his arm lightly before walking towards the common room door. "I'm going to go prep Harry and Ron for the news," she said with a nervous laugh before she ducked out of the portrait and said a hurried good morning to Professor Dumbledore.

She dashed down all the flights of stairs and skidded to a halt in the entrance hall so that she could make a professional and mature entrance into the hall. She walked to the Gryffindor table blushing pink as she tried to fight down a smile that was pushing at the corners of her mouth. Harry raised an eyebrow at her as she drew nearer and she beamed at him. Ron of course noticed nothing. He was busy with Lavender.

"Hermy-own-ninny? Might I 'ave a vord?"

Hermione spun around with wide eyes. She had completely forgotten about talking to Krum. She blinked rapidly before nodding. "Yes. Of course, Victor."

"I 'ave not been 'ere very long but I feel I must tell you now. I vish to be vith you again. I 'ave missed you horribly," Krum said sadly. Hermione bit her lip as her brain shutdown. '..' There was no way that she could go out with him now and she wasn't sure if she would even have wanted too. They were much better as friends. She just wasn't sure how to tell Krum this.

"Victor, I've missed you too, but you see- you see, I have a boyfriend," Hermione said softly, ignoring Harry's look and Ron's wide eyes as he swung around to stare at her.

"You 'ave not mentioned a boyfriend before in your letters to me," Victor said frowning.

"Yes, well, it's kind of a recent development," very recent, Hermione added to herself. "I'm sorry, Victor. I really would still like to be friends. You've been a very good friend to me these past years."

"I see," Krum said sadly as he looked at his feet. He looked up suddenly, meeting her eyes, "yes. Ve vill be friends. I vish to meet this boyfriend of yours. I need to see vith mine own eyes that he is good enough for you," Victor said firmly. Hermione's eyes widened, startled. She turned to Harry for help but he just grinned at her as well.

"Hermione, I'd like to meet him too. It seems fair. I mean we are your friends," Harry said sweetly. He grabbed Ron by the back of his collar and dragged him across the bench toward them and away from Lavender. "Ron'll come too."

Hermione had to physically resist hitting herself on the head with her hands. Or was she resisting hitting Harry and Victor? This was not how she had imagined introducing them to Blaise as her boyfriend. Her best friend and her two ex-boyfriends, oh the joy.

Reluctantly she nodded and turned to walk away, waving at them over her shoulder to follow her. She was grateful at least that Blaise hadn't entered the hall yet. That meant that she didn't need to walk over to the Slytherin table and do the introduction in front of his whole house. As she went to leave the hall she felt an icy glare at her back. She turned her head in time to see Pansy narrow her eyes at her before turning to whisper into Draco's ear. Draco's head shot up and his eyes found Hermione's before he sneered and looked away again to whisper back in Pansy's ear.

Hermione narrowed her own eyes and tossed her head back, standing straight as she walked out of the hall but tiredness won out and she yawned loudly and closed her eyes as her mouth parted and her face screwed up.

"Careful there."

Hermione had walked right into someone. She felt hands reach out and grab her arms to steady her and she opened her eyes, blushing. At first she didn't recognize the person but he gave her a small smile and it rushed back to her. Theodore Nott. He released her arms and stepped back.

"Thanks Theodore," Hermione said stifling another yawn. Theo had been in the Slughorn's little club as well but she had never really talked to him.

"No problem. See ya around," Nott said before walking past her and nodding at Harry in acknowledgement.

"Vas that 'im?" Krum asked impatiently. "He is no good. He is bad for you."

"No that vasn't- I mean no that _wasn't_ him," Hermione said irritably.

"Wasn't who?" Hermione turned to the voice with relief. It was Blaise.

"That wasn't you," Hermione said with a smile as she turned to see the boy's reactions. Harry was smiling as if he had known the whole time, Krum seemed incapable of putting two and two together, and Ron still seemed to be suffering from lack of oxygen because of his encounter with Lavender. She looked at Ron again; no he seemed to be suffering from withdrawal from Lavender.

"You were looking for me?" Blaise asked curiously.

"Yep. They all decided that they wanted to meet my new boyfriend. Well, Ron seemed completely happy where he was but Harry decided for him."

"This is your boyfriend? This _boy_ is the one I 'ave lost you to? I know him, Hermy-own-ninny. He had three girls come back vith him after the Yule Ball," Krum said exasperatedly.

"Oh yes. You're so much better because you only went off with one. But wait, it wasn't the girl you went to the ball with, was it?" Blaise was angry. No, Blaise was furious. Hermione stared at him in surprise. Blaise was easy going. He wasn't moody and he didn't get angry like this. At least, she'd never seen him like this.

"I 'ave no idea vat you are talking about," Krum said decisively but he took a step backwards.

"Oh you don't? Let me remind you then. You had Pansy but that wasn't enough. You had to ask Hermione to the ball too. When Hermione left the ball though, you didn't go to comfort her, did you? No, you went and found Pansy. Then you left Pansy again. It wasn't enough for you to hurt one of them. You had to hurt both," Blaise said, fury blazing in his eyes.

"I did not go looking for the Pansy girl. She came to me," Krum said angrily, as a last resort. Blaise just laughed mirthlessly.

"Don't try that crap with me. Pansy's one of my friends. I know. She's talked to me. You dare say that you're better for Hermione than I am?" Blaise said as he glared at Victor with something close to hatred.

"Victor?" Hermione asked softly, unsure. She had been so quick to forgive him when he came back to her that she had never asked any of the questions that Blaise was bringing up or even more personal questions of her own. Krum had proven to be a good friend but at the moment she was inclined to agree with Blaise. She didn't think for a second that Victor could be a good boyfriend.

"Hermy-own-ninny…" Victor said sadly, his eyes pleading. He took a deep breath before turning back to Blaise in defeat. He knew when he had been beaten. "You are a good man. You vill be good for Hermy-own-ninny. Better than me, I am thinking."

Blaise nodded his head in acceptance of the compliment and when Krum extended his hand to shake, Blaise took it firmly.

"I am glad she has found a man like you," Victor said before he turned and walked out the entrance hall doors into the brisk morning.

"Bloody Hell," Ron mutters. Harry laughed out loud and slapped Ron on the back, grinning.

"So this is why you were blushing, Mione?" Harry said grinning. Hermione barley heard him. She was still thinking.

"Blaise, how did you know all of that? What exactly did Pansy tell you and what exactly did you find out from a book," Hermione turned to him as she concentrated on keeping her head high and not losing her temper.

Blaise blinked once before he realized his mistake. "Hermione, I knew you wouldn't tell me and…I just…" Blaise scrunched his face up and he tried to reach for her hand but she pulled it back and stepped away.

She looked away from him. It wasn't like he had done anything that bad. She could forgive this. She could step forward and give him a hug and tell him it was okay. But did she want to? "Blaise, I need to think, okay? Just don't come looking for me," Hermione said, directing the last part to Harry and Ron as well.

They nodded. Ron looked confused and Harry resigned. The three of them returned to the Great Hall together where Blaise parted company.

Draco stood at the Slytherin table but Pansy grabbed his arm.

"And what exactly do you think you're going off to do?" Pansy hissed angrily.

"I'm not sure but I'm going after her," Draco said as a crease appeared between his eyebrows.

"Well wait. Don't go right away that's stupid. She obviously needs time to think so leave her for now. You can go after her later," Pansy said as she tugged him back down next to her.

Draco watched Hermione until she was out of sight but stayed beside Pansy, stabbing the eggs on his plate viciously.

Hermione walked briskly, not noticing where she was going. When she ended up in front of the secret passage she had used yesterday she growled angrily before turning and walking away.

She would go to the kitchens first. Hermione was still hungry. She had given up on trying to free the house elves that didn't want to be freed even though a part of her always wanted to tie them down with clothes.

She reached a hand up and rubbed her left temple where a headache was forming. Forgiving Blaise was easy. She had already pretty much forgiven him. Hermione was sensible. She wasn't going to go flying off the handle just because he read something she hadn't wanted him to. She really had just wanted to get away. Hermione found herself half-hoping that Pansy had followed her.

Things needed to be resolved with Pansy. They couldn't just let the old wound fester; especially now that Victor was back. They needed to talk. She sighed loudly. Things didn't get easier they just got more confusing.

She liked Blaise. She liked him a lot. He was charming and funny. She just… Hermione pressed her face into her hands in defeat. Nothing was missing. He was a great guy and she was being stupid.

Hermione continued down the hallway until she came to the painting of the fruit bowl. She stopped and tickled the pear listlessly until the portrait swung open. Hermione walked in and greeted the merry little elves. She looked around for one elf in particular and felt a jarring stab of pain as she realized that Dobby wouldn't be here. She swallowed hard. She had forgotten. She smiled weakly at the other elves as they ran up to her.

"Hello Ms. Granger, what can we do for you today?" An elf with a very pointed nose pulled lightly on her robes from her left and she turned to face him.

"Hi, um I just decided not to go to the Great Hall for breakfast today. Do you have something that I could maybe take with me to eat in the astronomy tower?" Hermione asked politely.

Immediately twenty elves rushed at her with food. Cookies, crackers, bread and butter, an éclair, and a raspberry tart were all shoved into her arms until she could hold no more. She thanked them graciously and bowed out of the small room.

She took a bite of one of the cookies before juggling to keep all of the food in one arm while conjuring up a basket. She dumped the food in; careful to make sure the éclair and tart were on the top before starting off toward the astronomy tower. Halfway there she changed her mind and turned toward the entrance hall. She walked out the doors and into the fresh air, breathing in the relaxing scents of the grass and the lake.

Hermione started toward the far side of the lake. She would be alone there. The air was warm but a faint breeze stirred the air and tickled the leaves on the trees. She closed her eyes and listened to the birds and the light splashes of frogs jumping into the water as she passed by them on the lakeside.

Hermione walked until she found a comfortable spot at the foot of a tree she sat down looking at the lake but stood up quickly and walked around the tree to sit on the other side, facing away from the school. She didn't want to look at it right now. Today she could just enjoy being outside and alone with her thoughts. She didn't even have a book.

Hermione conjured a blanket out of thin air and spread it before her before crawling over to sit on top of it. She began to pull the food out of the basket and lay it before her. Her stomach growled hungrily. All the food looked so good. Hermione took a few delicate bites of the raspberry tart before giving in to her hunger and wolfing it down along with the éclair, a few crackers, another cookie and a slice of bread. She put the leftovers back in the basket and lay out on the blanket looking up at the sky and the branches of the tree that seemed to reach out to touch the clouds.

It was beautiful and peaceful. She made a mental note to bring Harry and Ron out here sometime. And Blaise, a voice in her head reminded her. Yes, and Blaise. She couldn't forget about him.

Hermione tried to direct her attention toward the upcoming Tri-Wizard Tournament. She would need to help design a task. What could they do? No underwater, no maze, no dragons. They needed things that were all new. What about a map? Sort of like a treasure map. They could have to follow it or maybe a riddle… no the merpeople did that and so did the sphinx. What to do…

"Granger?"

Hermione blinked slowly and opened her eyes a crack. She was curled up in a ball and the blanket was twisted around her ankles. She must have fallen asleep. She yawned widely and stretched her arms before turning to look at the person who had woken her up. She found herself looking into the face of a very bemused Draco Malfoy.

"What'r you doin 'ere," Hermione said in a slur, not fully awake. She yawned again.

Draco gave her a weird look before quickly looking away. Why was he here? Hermione blinked again and frowned.

"What time is it?" Hermione asked Malfoy curiously.

"Uh, it's around 1 in the afternoon," Draco said gratefully to be asked a question he could answer. He shifted awkwardly on his toes. He was squatting beside her and it was proving very uncomfortable.

"Did I ask you why you were here?" Hermione asked, as she looked at him inquisitively.

"Well," Draco said hesitantly as he shifted on his toes again. "You did ask."

Hermione glanced at his feet and spread the blanket out again. "Here sit down."

Draco sat gratefully and crossed his legs. Hermione continued to look at him and he looked at the ground. "Well?" Hermione prompted.

"You kind of left rather abruptly from the Great Hall and Krum came in all grumpy and then Blaise and Potter and Weasley. But Blaise wouldn't tell me what was up so… I brought you food," Draco said hesitantly as he glanced at the basked on her other side. He held out a cinnamon roll wrapped in a napkin.

Hermione gapped at him. "Malfoy? Are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah. I'm fine," Draco said standing up abruptly. "I'm only here because of Blaise. You can't really be so oblivious as not to realize that he likes you right?" Draco said as he started to raise his voice.

"Well actually-," Hermione started.

"Well, he's my friend and I'm not stupid. What am I supposed to think when you guys all go off to talk with your ex-boyfriends and Blaise comes back and won't tell me what the heck is going on? Blaise falls hard and fast, Granger. He's my friend and I need to look out for him," Draco said finishing his rant.

"Malfoy, it's okay. Blaise and I are dating," Hermione said, trying to pacify him.

"You're what?" Malfoy said slowly. He didn't seem to be registering the information. "You mean that- you guys are like- you mean that… did he finally… bloody hell…" Draco said sitting back down in a daze.

Hermione grinned sheepishly and looked at the ground. "So uh, what happened to snarky Malfoy?" Hermione asked as she tried to change the subject. She grabbed the cinnamon bun hungrily and started to eat it. Napping really was an energy sapper.

Draco smirked at her. "He's taking time off but don't get used to it."

"I don't think I could ever get used to a not snarky Malfoy. I mean not after 6 years of dealing with regular Malfoy."

"Just because that's the only side of me you knew doesn't mean it's 'regular Malfoy'," Draco said angrily as he glared at a blade of grass.

"I know. Sorry, slip of the tongue," Hermione said consolingly.

"Whatever," Malfoy said, still burning a hole in the grass with his eyes.

"Hey did Blaise ever give you back your book? You know that one from the library that fell when you bumped into me?" Hermione asked

"When you bumped into me," Draco corrected automatically. "No he didn't. What book was it?"

"Tales of Beadle the Bard. What did you want with that book anyways," Hermione asked cautiously.

"Uh, just… curious. Do you notice anything odd about the new teacher?" Draco asked Hermione as he gave her a sidelong glance.

"Yes, no that you mention it. Why?" Hermione responded.

"No reason. Blaise thinks I'm making mountains out of molehills," Draco said looking away from her.

"Tell me," Hermione said seriously.

Draco glanced at her. "I don't think that she's who she says she is. You see I tried to look her up in the lists of wizarding families and-"

Hermione cut him off, "not finding her in the lists doesn't mean anything. She could be muggleborn or her parents could just not have registered her."

"I know that," Draco snapped. "If you had let me finish…" He gave her a pointed look and she mimed zipping her lips to which Draco rolled his eyes and muttered 'muggles'.

"I did find her. But not in the family lists, in the history books."

"The history books?" Hermione raised eyebrows. "People can use old names you know."

"Yeah I know that," Draco said, irritated. "It's something else that-,"

"Hermione! Hermione!" Harry and Ron came running up to where Draco and Hermione were sitting and grinned at Hermione, Harry giving Draco a nod and Ron pointedly ignoring him. "You'll never guess who has an idea for the tournament," Ron said excitedly.

"Is it Lavender and does it have something to do with 'who can snog the longest without coming up for air'?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

Ron's eyes widened and he apparently missed her tone because he gaped at her in amazement. "Has she suggested that?"

"Not yet," Hermione said adding it to the list of definite 'no's.

"Hermione, you have to come and hear this," Harry said. "It's brilliant. You should come too," he said to Draco as he grabbed Hermione's hands and pulled her to her feet.

"Come on. We'd better go," Hermione said as Draco stood. She folded up the blanket and placed it on top of the food in the basket before picking that up as well and heading towards the castle with them.

Harry walked on Hermione's left side and Ron walked on her right, making it quite clear that he would not tolerate it if Draco walked beside him. Malfoy, not oblivious, walked on Harry's other side.

"Blaise was worried about you, Mione. He wanted to go looking for you five minutes after you left, claiming that he had to apologize for a bunch of weird things that seemed to stretch from something about a trick step to harassment in a library to a book he wasn't supposed to have read to calling you a mudblood at some random time in third grade," Harry said, quite amused.

"How'd you convince him not too?" Hermione asked, laughing.

"It was less convincing and more tying him down and hitting him over the head with a brick," Harry said grinning.

"You hit my boyfriend with a brick? Oh no. I'm only dating him for his beautiful face," Hermione said jokingly as she pushed Harry lightly.

"Okay, fine. Maybe hitting him with a brick was a bit of an exaggeration but really it would have been quite effective and I fantasized about doing just that when he threatened to curse me if I didn't move out of his way," Harry said seriously.

Hermione gasped. "He didn't!"

Harry nodded solemnly and Hermione burst out laughing. "What did he think I was going to do? Drown myself in the lake?"

"Quite probably. He did yell something along those lines… and then something about Moaning Myrtle and ketchup…" Ron mumbled.

* * *

hope you enjoyed :) or tht ur hatred and anger was at least softned. if not please send me hate mail if it will make u feel better. i feel very gulity. especially to the ppl whose i was supposed to read and review. please review though and ill try to do better

ps. scarlettcat i is very very very sorry. will read urs first. top of my list.


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